Professors Without Borders has urged Nigerian students to embrace global skills and mindsets to remain relevant in today’s fast-changing digital economy.
This call was made during the unveiling of the fourth annual Leadership and Innovation Programme held at the University of Lagos. The event brought together international scholars and industry experts to mentor students on leadership, technology, and sustainable innovation.
According to a statement signed by the Senior Manager, Project and Digital Product at Professors Without Borders, Oluseyi Sodiya, the programme is aimed at equipping students with the knowledge needed to thrive both locally and internationally.
Dr. Bob Eckhart, a Fulbright Scholar and lead professor for Nigeria programmes, stressed the importance of global readiness, urging students to align their learning with international standards.
“Education today is not confined by geography. The ability to think globally and apply knowledge locally will define successful leaders,” Eckhart said.
Social work researcher Dr. Brieanne Beaujolais highlighted the need for students to be adaptive and innovative, especially in a rapidly changing world shaped by technology and social innovation.
Marketing and branding expert Peter-Frank Haarmans also encouraged students to develop personal branding and digital skills that would help their ideas gain global recognition.
The theme of this year’s programme is Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainability: Empowering Digital Transformation. It focuses on practical skills such as entrepreneurship, research, and digital technology that solve local problems while opening doors to global opportunities.
The statement noted that dignitaries at the event included the representative of the Minister of Interior, Barrister Babatunde Ogundare, and UNILAG Vice Chancellor Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Research), Prof. Bola Oboh.
Oboh described the programme as a timely initiative that gives students and faculty vital exposure to global perspectives and in-demand skills.
Titus Ayodele, PWB Nigeria Country Manager, explained that the training is focused on actionable knowledge.
“We want students to leave here ready to innovate, lead, and create solutions that matter for Nigeria,” he said.
Participants also engaged in workshops on social entrepreneurship, African finance, research methods, artificial intelligence, and mobile app development.
The programme runs at UNILAG from July 21 to July 25 and will continue at Ekiti State University from July 28 to August 1.
PWB says it plans to extend the initiative to 15 Nigerian universities and train more than 2,000 students by 2030, in line with the country’s human capital development goals.
