THE World Economic Forum report, ‘New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning Through Technology’, identifies that the gap between the skills people learn and the skills people need is becoming more obvious, as traditional learning falls short of equipping students with the knowledge they need to thrive.
Today’s job candidates, the report says, must be able to collaborate, communicate and solve problems – skills developed mainly through social and emotional learning (SEL). Combined with traditional skills, this social and emotional proficiency will equip students to succeed in the evolving digital economy.
An analysis of 213 studies – on which the report is based – showed that students who received SEL instruction had achievement scores that averaged 11 percentile points higher than those who did not; and SEL potentially leads to long-term benefits such as higher rates of employment and educational fulfillment.
It lists the top 10 skills that would define the graduates that will make an impact in their world by the year 2020 as: complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordinating with others, emotional intelligence, judgment and decision making, service orientation, negotiation, and cognitive flexibility.
In line with these and other rapidly changing global trends, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, a reputable private institution established by one of Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurs, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, is aware of the enormous challenges of running a 21st century university.
The institution, last Wednesday in Lagos, unveiled a new and bold identity to a select audience of corporate icons, university dons and media executives.
Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, and the president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, used the opportunity to stress the importance of developing and mentoring young minds in entrepreneurship consistently, especially for students in tertiary institutions. According to them, this is critical if Nigeria is to truly achieve greatness.
At the occasion, two graduating students, Iyanu Oluyade and Gift Silas, held an audience that included a former Health Minister, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, spellbound as they shared spectacular entrepreneurship and academic experiences they gathered in their four-year stay at Elizade University.
The major exploits, according to the two students, were garnered from the school’s unique internship/attachment programmes.
Obviously excited, the founder of the university, Chief Ade-Ojo, said the new logo was a step towards actualising his vision of creating a world class institution of higher learning, dedicated to the pursuit of academic and moral excellence.
“We are unveiling this new identity to herald a new dawn in the life of our great institution established for the growth of knowledge, character as well as the total development of mankind.
“The new identity reflects the resolve of the university to breed young men and women who will break new grounds in all areas of human endeavour in accordance with global best practices.”
He also appreciated specially the National Universities Commission for its support in the approval process of the new logo.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who is also the pro-chancellor of Elizade University, also spoke on the relevance of building entrepreneurial spirit in young persons.
He was equally happy with the strong business instinct of the two students, especially Gift Silas who runs a thriving fashion boutique even as a graduating year student.
Aig-Imoukhuede also extolled the quality ingredients of excellence assembled by the management of the university, adding that he identified passionately with the vision of the founder, to create a world class university than can compete in all areas with top universities like Harvard, Oxford, Yale and so on.
Also at the event, the acting vice chancellor, Professor Theophilus Fadayomi, traced the university’s records from 2013, when it started with 13 programmes, till date with a total of 31 fully accredited academic programmes; and students enrolment having grown from 64 in 2013 to a total of 1,144 this year.
He noted that the attraction to the university include its choice location in the hills of Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State; the state-of-the-art facilities for educational, physical and mental development; and its high calibre teaching and non-teaching staff.
The experienced faculty of the university are aware that the emergence of the ‘knowledge economy’ has given rise to new economic, social, political and cultural challenges to which nations, regions and higher education systems and institutions are responding.
It is widely assumed that in the context of these new challenges specific knowledge, competencies and skills – often referred to as ‘human capital’ – come to play an increasingly important role in developmental efforts, as do research, innovation and technological development.
Furthermore, the faculty is equally aware that higher education institutions are seen by many as playing a key role in delivering the knowledge requirements for development.
Research has, for example, suggested a strong association between higher education participation rates and levels of development. While the higher education participation rates in many high-income countries are well over 50 per cent, in sub-Saharan Africa they are in most cases below five per cent.
There is increasing evidence that high levels of education in general, and of higher education in particular, are essential for the design and productive use of new technologies, while they also provide the foundations for a nation’s innovative capacity, and contribute more than any other social institution to the development of civil society.
This is the route Elizade University is taking to prepare its graduates as change agents that would develop their communities and country.