The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) on Sunday charged the leadership of Nigerian universities on the establishment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Governance Committees to drive the responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence.
This committee in each university should, among others, promote the effective deployment of AI and digital governance in university administration.
This call was contained in the communique of COPSUN, signed by the Chairman, Professor Ayodeji Omole, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan at the end of their 8th Biennial conference held in Kano.
COPSUN urged federal and state governments to do more to ensure sustainability of university education in Nigeria
The COPSUN communique also tasked universities to develop digital integrity strategies for finance, academic processes, and data protection.
According to COPSUN, universities should constitute a committee to promote the effective deployment of AI and digital governance in university administration.
Part of the communique read: “Universities should collaborate with anti-graft and intelligence agencies for joint training on server security and intelligence-sharing in the management of university affair. Regulatory agencies should formulate policies limiting the number of universities a state may establish.”
While tasking state governors to increase funding for state-owned universities, COPSUN advised universities to seek endowments, not only from alumni, but also from capable stakeholders within society.
“Transparency and accountability should remain guiding principles in university financial management. University administrations should strengthen research and development initiatives under the guidance and supervision of their Governing Councils. Universities should establish Intellectual Property and Patent Offices (IPPOs) with responsibility for transforming research outputs into viable innovations,” the communique further read.
The conference resolved to engage the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on the prospects and limitations of state universities in Nigeria. Governments at all levels should do more to ensure sustainable university education in Nigeria.
The conference reiterated the need for stronger synergy between universities and industry in order to translate research funding into practical innovations for economic development.
The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening governance structures in state universities and ensuring that Nigerian state-owned universities remain globally competitive.
