National Software Conference 2013 Keynote to Focus on E-Learning in Nigeria

 

Riding on the success of the 2012 National Software Conference and Competition, plans are going great for the 2013 edition organized by the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria(ISPON) and hosted by Liyel Imoke led Cross River state Government at the Tinapa Knowledge City between October 22-23,2013.

In a chat with the President of ISPON, Mr Chris Uwaje who confirmed saying,” Yes,! The proposed date of October 22 – 23, 2013 has been approved by the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Sen. Liyel Imoke. The Governor has also reaffirmed his commitment and support to the event this year”

The theme this year is: Software Strategies for Retooling the Workforce (SORWORK)

Major Features of the 2013 conference include:

-Expert Group Discussion around the Keynote which will focus on E-learning in Nigeria

 To discuss the keynote of Prof. Tapio Varis is an expert group consisting of the Conference Distinguished Knowledge Ambassadors, Seasoned Industry Professionals and Vice Chancellors of select Universities in Nigeria. The Expert group discussion will come up after the keynote delivery by Prof. Varis on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Prof Varis is UNESCO Chair in Global e-Learning and Chair of Professional Education, with an emphasis on global learning environment at the Research Centre for Vocational Education, University of Tampere, Finland. He is a Principal Research Associate at UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and a member of the Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, the European Commission Media Literacy Expert Group, and the Digital Literacy Expert Group.

Currently signed on for the Expert Group to discuss the keynote are:

1. Dr. Engr. Ernest Ndukwe: Former EVC of Nigeria Communication Commission and Chairman, Open Media. He is a professional Communications Engineer, Corporate and Public Service Executive with over 35 years of international experience in the Telecommunications industry, majority of which have been in senior management positions in private multi-national telecommunications enterprises and in government Telecom Policy & Regulation. He serves as one of the Distinguished Knowledge Ambassadors for the Conference.

 

1. Prof. Pat Utomi: One of Nigeria’s prominent professors of political economy and management expert, a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of   Nigeria and a former presidential candidate, with a passion for the dignity of the human person and the spirit of enterprise. He is the founder of Centre for Value in Leadership(CVL) and the African Democratic Congress party. He is presently a professor at Lagos Business School. He has served in Senior positions in Government as an Adviser to the President of Nigeria, the Private Sector, as Chief Operating Officer for Volkswagen of Nigeria and in academia. He is also a Distinguished Knowledge Ambassador for the Conference.

 

1. Hon. Amb. Nkoyo Toyo: Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo was the first Executive Director of Gender and Development Action, an organisation she co-founded with Dr. Eka Williams and Ms. Barbara Riley. A lawyer and Development Consultant, she is a serving Member of the Federal House of Representatives. Nkoyo Toyo has a long standing interest in the participation of women in politics and has delivered papers, both published and unpublished on various issues. She’s one of the Conference Distinguished Knowledge Ambassadors.

 

1. Barbara James: is the founding and CEO of the first independent pan-African private equity Fund of Funds – Henshaw Capital Partners. Henshaw is a $400 million fund investing in private equity and venture capital funds across Africa.  In 2007, advised the Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan Governments on the setting up of an SME venture capital fund, a technical assistance facility and an enabling regulatory environment for venture capital in East Africa. She has a BSc. in Computer Science and an MSc. in Business Systems Analysis and Design. She also qualified as a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and has trained professionally as a venture capital general partner (manager) and Limited Partner (investor).

 

1. Prof. Charles Ayo: is currently the Vice Chancellor of Covenant University. He holds a B.Sc. M.Sc. and Ph.D in Computer Science. He was the Head of Computer and Information Sciences Department of the University. Professor Ayo was the immediate past Director, Academic Planning Unit of Covenant University. His research interests include: Mobile computing, Internet programming, eBusiness, eGovernment and Software Engineering. He is a member of the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), and Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN). Similarly, he is professionally certified in CISCO and Microsoft products. Prof. Ayo is a member of a number of international research bodies such as the Centre for Business Information, Organization and Process Management (BIOPoM), University of Westminster, London; the Review Committee of the European Conference on E-Government ECEG); the programme committee, IADIS Information Systems; the Editorial Board, Journal of Information and communication Technology for Human Development (IJICTHD), the Editorial Board, International Journal of Scientific Research in Education (IJSRE) and the Editorial Board, African Journal of Business Management amongst others.

 

1. Prof. Musbau Akanji: Professor Musbau Adewumi Akanji, FNSBMB, assumed office as the 6th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna on December 3, 2012, for a single term of five years. Between 1979 and 1986 he was at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) for his M.Sc and Ph.D (Biochemistry) respectively. The Professor of Biochemistry who during the 1991/1992 academic session was a part-time Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, FUT, Minna has supervised 20 Master’s and 16 Doctoral theses out of which 7 are now Professors in various Universities. He is a Fellow, Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and belongs to several other Professional bodies among which are Science Association of Nigeria and Nigerian Society for Experimental Biology. The Vice-Chancellor has over 150 Scholarly Publications in reputable books and journals.

 

 

– Conference Speakers

The trend for conferences in Nigeria sees the older generation delivering papers and presentations while the younger generation listens; ISPON seeks to reverse this trend at the 2013 conference. This year, we will give room to speakers who are aged 22 – 35 in line with global practices as the revolution in the ICT industry is driven by this group of people. Experienced industry practitioners would serve as session discussants and panelists.

 -Advocacy for the National Broadband Plan

In a bid to propagate and create a national awareness for the National Broadband Plan, ISPON has created a Broadband Pavilion at the 2013 conference venue. The Pavilion will deliver the platform and enabling environment for diverse opportunities which includes but not limited to the following:

v  Presentations on the benefits of the National Broadband Initiative to Nigeria.

v  Distribution of 1000 approved copies of the Broadband Plan to the State Government and over 800 participants expected at the conference (made up of Government Policy Makers, International Participants, Student Participants, ICT Professionals and others) for adequate awareness and support for the initiative.

v  Dedicated stands for Service providers, policy makers and regulators to showcase their plans and strategy towards the actualization of the Broadband Plan to stakeholders and participants.

-Free Software Gate/Software Expo

There will be a Free Software Gate where software start-ups will showcase their software solutions to participants of the Conference in Tinapa. It will accord them the opportunity to meet with prospective clients and venture capitalists and help grow their company.

-Software Competition

Students from Tertiary institutions from around the Federation will challenge for top honours and the title of “Best Software Developer Team” of the year at the event. 7 trophies are up for grabs as well as cash prizes. Categories for software solution span all facets of the Nigerian Economic Sector for both desktop, web and mobile applications.

The ISPON National Software Conference and Competition – Tinapa 2013 is expected to host over One thousand Participants from home and abroad cut across Industry Practitioners, Government/Policy Makers, Students, ICT Journalists and other interested parties.