‘Why we should invest more in tech education’
Nigerian students should make use of technological educational opportunities, founder and director of Open Institute of Technology (OPIT), EU-accredited online institution, Riccardo Ocleppo, has said.
He said the institution, renowned for its expertise in IT education, plans to increase enrolment from Africa.
Ocleppo noted that since its inception in 2023, OPIT has provided world-class education in information technology, adding it is expanding its reach to students from Africa.
In its inaugural year, OPIT attracted a diverse cohort of 100 students from 38 nations, with representation from Africa.
A proportion of Bachelor’s (nine per cent) and Master’s (seven per cent) students originated from Africa, demonstrating OPIT’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
Also, 40 per cent of Master’s students hailed from non-STEM backgrounds, underscoring OPIT’s dedication to providing opportunities to individuals from diverse professional domains.
Ocleppo said in a statement that OPIT’s first cohort boasted students from an array of industries: consulting, tech, gaming, energy, government, finance, agriculture, oil and gas, and education. This mix of backgrounds contributes to a rich and vibrant learning environment at OPIT.
He said: “In an era of inevitable acceleration towards transitions impacting society in the digital age, OPIT’s mission is to focus on quality online education in technology.
“The starting point is the awareness of the misalignment in the labour market, between what is taught in most universities and what companies are looking for. That mismatch, accelerated by advent of AI, is generated by too much theory and too little practical approach. We have identified skills to guide this change and translated them into our innovative degrees.”
He added: “Our teaching model combines quality, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. We believe education, even if it takes place remotely, must guarantee closeness on all aspects, starting from support for the student.
“We have translated into practice a new idea of higher education, different from the offering from traditional universities. To support our approach, we have selected some of the most experienced academics and professionals in the technology sphere.
“The quality of professors and innovative format guarantee a tier-1 learning within a community of people linked by the goal of entering the job market with relevant skills.
“OPIT offersa diverse global perspectives, as students and faculty come from everywhere. A Career Services Department forge stronger connections between students and their industries and career paths.
“Moreover, students from Africa enrolling in 2024, will have their degrees recognised by World Education Services (WES). This recognition translates to the potential conversion of OPIT degrees into points for immigration assessment processes in United States and Canada in the future.”
