UNILAG restates commitment to advancing tech solutions for societal challenges

VICE Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Folasade Ogunsola has reaffirmed the university’s commitment towards pioneering solutions at the intersection of technology and sustainability challenges.

She gave the assurance while addressing the 2025 Green and Sustainable Software Engineering Summer School facilitators, who visited her office, recently. 

The delegation was accompanied by the Director of Office of International Research, Partnership and Prospects (IRPP, UNILAG), Professor Adegboyega Ismail Ibraheem, who is also UNILAG’s AFRETEC coordinator and the convener of the Summer School, Dr Usman Adewole Rufai.

Welcoming the facilitators to UNILAG, Ogunsola lauded the international consortium for delivering “a week of knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and visionary collaboration.”

She said the discourse on green software engineering in Nigeria and across the continent was not only shaping the future of sustainable digital education but also reinforcing the institution’s legacy as a global hub for innovation and societal impact.

According to her, the subject of discourse reflects UNILAG’s broader mission to address global challenges through education, research, and collaboration.

“That is why we are more than excited about the success recorded during the summer school session. For us, it is a milestone in our journey to redefine technological education,” the vice-chancellor said in a statement made available by the university’s communication unit.

Also speaking, one of the facilitators, a Nigerian and post-doctoral researcher at LUT University, Finland, Dr Shola Oyedeji, disclosed that the summer school featured a diverse range of activities and sessions tailored to the needs of students, educators, and industry professionals.

According to him, the summer school was designed to address the European Union Green Deal and the African Union Agenda 2063, supporting SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

Oyedeji appreciated the institution’s leadership for the opportunity afforded them as industry professionals to empower the next generation of software engineers with green skills and tools to tackle sustainability challenges.

He also praised the vice chancellor for her administration’s “Future Ready” agenda and emphasised how summer school’s dynamic sessions aligned with the vision.

Dr Birgit Penzenstadler from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, delivered a keynote address during the programme, speaking on ‘Sustainability in Software Engineering: From Goals to Code Commitments.’

Penzenstadler underscored the critical role of software systems in tackling global challenges, including energy efficiency and equitable resource management.

The 2025 Green and Sustainable Software Engineering Summer School attracted no fewer than 100 participants from Nigeria and overseas who converged both on-site and virtually.

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