STATEMENT OF FACT
One of the major challenges confronting Engineering training and research in Nigeria borders on the disconnect between the industry and the university systems. This has manifested in high unemployment among Nigerian graduates because of their lack of employability skills required to function in the industry. Similarly, the economy has been highly import-dependent for skilled workers, products and services, due to the observed low value addition capacity of Nigerian industrial base and institutions. In terms of product design for manufacturing, the Nigerian Universities are yet to contribute substantially to global technological advancement due to the absence of Industry‐driven collaborative research and development programs that meet industry needs.
Similarly, Automation hardware and software systems and devices, are becoming more and more pervasive, touching virtually all aspects of daily life. From mobile phones to automobiles, industrial equipment, to high end medical equipment, home appliances etc. The Home Automation is also growing in demand in Nigeria and it will definitely continue
There are significant gaps in advanced Automation and Mechatronics system training in the applied sciences across the Universities in Nigeria, where Automation science, technology, engineering mathematics (STEM) skills are often either lacking or not being effectively used to support socioeconomic development. The engineering disciplines, in particular, could benefit from closer links with private firms of all sizes to inform training and capacity building in this regards
Applications of Automation and Mechatronics Engineering and the availability of skilled workforce have the potential to support the achievement of a range of development objectives, including those outlined in the transformational ECOWAS Vision 2020. The ECOWAS Vision 2020 is aimed at setting a clear direction and goal to significantly raise the standard of living of the people through conscious and inclusive programmes that will guarantee a bright future for West Africa and -shape the destiny of the region for many years to come. Automation and Mechatronics skills range of ECOWAS Vision 2020, from access to clean water to food security. Perhaps most importantly, ECOWAS focuses specifically on ‘infrastructure, industrialization and innovation’, where ‘infrastructure provides the basic physical systems and structures essential to the operation of a society or enterprise’; ‘industrialization drives economic growth, creates job opportunities and thereby reduces income poverty’; and‘ innovation advances the technological capabilities of industrial sectors and prompts the development of new skills.
There is now an urgent need for academic institutions in partnership with private must especially the OEMs with strong technical skills to develop to novel way of tackling this capacity shortage issue. Overall, a disproportionate number of new technologies are ‘imported’. African products tend to be of low added value, and highly-skilled workers in the private sector are often trained abroad.
There are five pillars underpinning the EMBEDDED SYSTEM & ADVANCED AUTOMATION CENTRE’s mission and purpose, namely:
- Technical leadership – to forge a new generation of great technical thinkers and doers.
- Vocational education – to create new knowledge appropriate for the needs of specific industries to support transformational entrepreneurship.
- Innovation – to create novel ways of doing business for the 21st Century that are efficient, effective, and profitable.
- Sustainable Technological Development – to ensure rapid growth of advanced and functional Technology to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.
- Industrial Linkage – to create, foster and sustain necessary linkage within the academia and the industries to enable technological transformation in enhancing efficiency and commercial viability.
OPERATIONAL STATUS
The EMBEDDED SYSTEM & ADVANCED AUTOMATION CENTRE now operates under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the University of Ibadan (UI) and Automation and Engineering Academy Nig Ltd (AEA). This is informed by the need to maximize the potentials of the Centre including the educational and commercial prospects. administrative member includes; Staffs from Faculty of Technology Faculty of Technology, season Engineers with international world class training and world class experience from the Managing partner company. the team headed by a professor from the Faculty of Technology.
The training programmes and courses have been designed with high functional and commercial relevance to enable trainees and graduates become highly knowledgeable, technically equipped, competent and proficient in industries, training institutions and the marketplace of the 21st Century.
This we can do with and for any University in Nigeria.
For more details please call us now on 07057561166