VC urges UNIUYO lecturers to embrace digital world

The Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, has advised lecturers of the institution to avail themselves of the opportunity of the digital world to become visible among their contemporaries within and outside the country.

Ndaeyo gave the advice at a workshop on Digital Humanities for Lecturers on Wednesday, organised by the Faculty of Arts, Digital Humanities Unit, University of Uyo.

Ndaeyo, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, Prof. Anthony Udoh, urged lecturers to go into collaboration that would enhance their visibility in the digital world as well as that of the institution.

“I am happy about this workshop because everything in the world today has element of digital technology.

“This gathering will not only serve as a think-tank but will harness views that will assist the university.

“I urge you all to use the knowledge gained at the workshop to establish collaboration not only within the university but outside world.

“The world is going digital and lecturers must go digital to stay abreast. The world can only see you through your work, from there you will sell the university to the world,” Ndaeyo said.

Earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Joseph Ushie, said that the aim of the workshop was to get lecturers trained on how to gather knowledge from rural areas and store them in a digital form and thereafter disseminate such information to the rest of the world.

Ushie said that when he assumed office as dean faculty of arts, he had set up a committee to collaborate with relevant bodies for training and opportunities, adding that digital humanities had come to stay in the university.

“The essence of digital humanities is to gain global prominence but then the people must be trained to value digitalisation process.

“Participants for this workshop are drawn from all the departments that make up faculty of arts, two from each department, an older person and a younger one so that there is continuity.

“After these people are trained, there will be a mega workshop for all lecturers and probably some students in the faculty, so that they become equipped to produce and disseminate their own knowledge to the world with ease and with huge profit,” Ushie said.

The Convener and Co-ordinator, Digital Humanities, Training Workshop, University of Uyo, Dr Richard Ajah, described the journey to digital humanities scholarship as tortuous and tiring.

He added that digital humanities was the newest trend in humanities scholarship all over the world.

Ajah said the vision started with his trip to Oxford University in 2013, where he went to make a presentation on LitArt project called pictographic criticism, a combination of art and literature, where he was equally exposed to the rudiment of digital humanities.

“It gives me joy that with the help of the Dean of Arts, Prof. Joseph Ushie and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, digital humanities unit of the faculty of arts (DHUFARTS) was inaugurated few months ago.

“We are gathering here for the first capacity building in Digital Humanities in the University of Uyo. Most of the resource persons were drawn from within and outside Nigeria,” he said.

He expressed optimism that though the digital humanities appeared to be starting late, the unit would do great academic exploits in line with the new university curriculum which had prescribed digital humanities courses for students of humanities.