By Chiekezie Emmanuel, Ali Hope, Ugwu Ijeoma, Ugoji Chinwedu, Obinna Ogechi, Obijekwu Chidinma, Mbah Ebere, Okeda Abigeal, Nwafor Ifeakachi, Amanoh Chioma Ndubuisi Daberechi and  Okenya Chisom

The Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has revealed plans to implement Artificial Intelligence and Experiential Learning in the School Curriculum starting from the new intake of the 2026/2027 academic session.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aloysius Michaels Okolie, disclosed this during a three-day staff training workshop themed “Embedding Artificial Intelligence and Experiential Learning into the Institutional Curriculum for Innovation, Creativity, and Real-World Problems”_ at the Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Auditorium, Agbani, Main Campus.

Prof. Okolie, while delivering his keynote speech, stated that the University has formally launched Experiential Learning and Artificial Intelligence, which will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.

“It is not only that we have launched the programme, but we have also adopted the principle. Our duty now is to expand the range of what to host,” he said. 

He cited that it will be applied in divergent patterns in various departments. “For example, in Creative Arts, you have video editing, they are there. But that does not mean that a graduate from Civil Engineering will not still have to do some modeling in creative places. Everyone — we will start bringing everybody to system output, one to three per semester,” he said.

He stated that the new programme will be divided into syndicate groups to discuss the global model for faculties and departments, because it must be modeled in high class before October.

He emphasized that the model will immediately be implemented across all levels, from 100 level upwards. 

“So, we are going to start it. It is not an experiment. Even though we are now the university that is leading the race from other sister universities in Nigeria. But where we are, we must get to a level where they see us as the model.”

He charged the participants to be innovators and to adaptable where they are. 

“Stop saying, ‘This is how we have been doing it.’ Any lecturer that is still saying, ‘This is how we have been doing it,’ is not worthy to be an innovator.

 “You must make sure that all the things they can do, that you can equally do. So, you see yourself being independent. 

So, what I’m saying is that innovation is not only in academics; it’s in the environment. Change your environment, challenge your environment.”

 “Sometimes I speak on what I didn’t study. Think about normal and abnormality. Think like a mad person. Innovation is about madness.  If every week you don’t see an attack on you, you are not doing well. Criticism is a reflection that you are changing the narrative.  And once you are on the correct path of changing the narrative, see criticism as a welcome development, and live with it.”

He further stated that if six or seven faculties are all doing what they should be doing, practicing quality and doing what they should be doing, the management can now adjudicate, because they are providing a platform upon which we now rise to greater heights. Today it is this faculty; another day it is another faculty.

He commended the Heads of Department of Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Chemical Engineering, appreciating some Heads of Department for bringing expertise to the university. 

“I will thank in a special way, some departments, about three or nine here: Department of Civil, Chemical and Computer Engineering,” he said.

“My only worry is that when we got there, we discovered that these people were all female,” he emphasized.

Speaking on the essence of the training and the modalities it would adopt, Facilitator of the Workshop and Director of Academic Planning, ESUT, Prof Chike Anibeze said the workshop became imperative in order to domestic the AI programmes in the departments and faculties commencing from the new session.

He noted that the Day-one programmes would entail opening speech by the VC as well as breakout session for the participates who were expected to paired according faculties to enable them brainstorm on the applicability of the new programmes.

“Let me start by commending the Vice-Chancellor and the management for sustaining the training workshop for the past three years. Let me also remind the Deans, HODs and all participants that this is the 3^rd edition of the training workshop. However, this edition comes with much modification as we are going to thinker on how to infuse AL courses into our curriculum. This is part of the NUC’s policy framework aimed at making our students critical thinkers and problem-solvers.

“The National Universities Commission (NUC) actively advocates for the integration and regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the Nigerian University System (NUS). Moving away from a restrictive stance, the NUC maintains that AI has become an integral part of academia, making it vital for Nigerian universities to adopt the technology to remain globally competitive and keep graduates employable. The NUC’s official position and recent actions focus on three key pillars:

“Curriculum and Formal Degree Approvals. The NUC officially introduced Artificial Intelligence as part of 13 new undergraduate degree programmes. These programmes are embedded within the new Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) framework. Under the CCMAS rules, the NUC provides 70% of the uniform national curriculum structure for AI and related courses (like Data Science and Cyber Security), while individual universities are tasked with developing the remaining 30% tailored to their local contexts.

“This is what the training workshop aims to achieve,” he concluded.

Also speaking, a Cloud and Cyber Security Systems expert with Vextex Lab, Doha, Dr. Dhamir Mannai stressed the critical need for universities to embrace AI and modern tech. He noted that academic institutions must quickly adapt to fast-paced technological shifts to remain competitive globally. But warned that unregulated application of AI will erode creativity and make the students slaves to the tech.

The three-day training Workshop will continue today at the Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Auditorium

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