Here are 5 global best practices for Nigerian universities to churn workforce ready graduates- Expert

…Australia fostered faculty-industry collaboration on curriculum co-design 

…Finland fostered rapid adoption of AI, AR/VR technology in classrooms.

…United states adopted micro-credentialling (Short digital courses for re-skilling and up-skilling)

Michael Adewuyi, chairman of Maersk Nigeria has outlined five best practices which some developed countries implemented to upskill and empower their faculties to prepare students to be future-ready for the global workforce.

According to Adewuyi, Australia, Finland, Singapore, the United States and the United Kingdom adopted strategies that closes the gap between industry and academia, and fostered skills development.

He noted that Nigeria can employ practices such as industry- academia collaboration on curriculum co-design, dedicated funding in AI, VR technology training, skills-based learning models, micro-credentialing and faculty exchanges which yielded positive outcomes.

He noted in his keynote speech in celebration of the World Youth Skills day, hosted by the University of Lagos (Office of Career development services- UNILAG-OCDS) during a workshop at the Arthur Mbanefo digital research centre in the university.

The workshop had the theme: ‘Future-ready faculties: Skilling for global workforce preparedness’ and was a convergence of academia, industry experts and educators. 

These experts are Zainab Ajadi, supply chain human resource generalist manager at Unilever, Dr. Oluyemi Adeosun, a senior economist and workforce strategist and Dr. Adeleke S. Adesina, a life and business system coach at Tregs consulting.

The bane of the discussion was that Nigerian universities can no longer afford to operate in silos as the future of work demands interconnected, tech-enabled, and globally competent educators who can prepare students for a world beyond borders.

All agreed that whether through internship pipelines, faculty-industry co-teaching, or digital identity building, institutions must transform their academic cultures from within.

Adewuyi reiterated that academic faculty are pivotal actors in global workforce transformation, urging Nigeria to adopt such.

 “Today’s educator must be tech-savvy, globally aware, and adaptable to interdisciplinary and cross-cultural learning,” he declared.

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5 global best practices Nigerian universities can adopt for the future workforce

Adewuyi cited how some countries adopted strategies to improve academia to position students and graduates for the future of work.

Here are these countries:

Australia fostered faculty-industry collaboration on curriculum co-design which significantly reduced skills gap between graduates and employer need.

Another is Finland which created a dedicated funding  and investment in artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality/ virtual reality (AR/VR) training, which led to a rapid adoption of AI, AR/VR and digital assessment tools in classroom.

Singapore started a mandatory training on data analytics and programming for all institutions, which resulted to over 90 percent educators proficient in data-driven decision-making.

United States adopted a micro-credentialling delivered through short digital courses with certificatesfor interdisciplinary project-based learning. This increased student enrolment in cross-functional degree programs.

United Kingdom fostered a global teaching exchange program with universities in Asia and Africa, that improved cultural competency and internationalisation of curriculum.

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Adewuyi proposing a change needs to be done, said, “We can no longer prepare students for global competition with locally isolated teaching methods. Faculty skilling must be strategic, structured, and supported.”

He therefore advocated for a skills-driven educational model, where tasks and capabilities take precedence over rigid job roles, underpinned by skills hubs, data frameworks, and innovation metrics.

He referenced Alvin Toffler who said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

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 Fostering internships, collaborative teaching, co-designed curricula

Ajadi urged educators to move beyond traditional instruction and become facilitators of real-world learning.

She highlighted the 70-20-10 model of development, where 70 percent of learning comes through experience, 20 percent from social interaction, and just 10 percent through formal teaching.

“Experience is the best teacher,” she remarked, adding that transferrable skills from communication and leadership to digital literacy matter more than technical qualifications.

She advised institutions to help students articulate competencies through frameworks like the STAR method and skills portfolios.

“Faculty must become catalysts, helping students link classroom theory with workplace demands.”

Dr. Adeosun spoke candidly about the disconnect between employer needs and university output.

He proposed that faculties adopt more structured partnerships with industry players incorporating internships, collaborative teaching, and co-designed curricula.

He outlined four workforce acquisition strategies which are: Build, Bridge, Buy, and Borrow which companies use and therefore challenged academia to mirror this thinking in their own pipelines.

“Internships are more than student exposure,” he explained. “They are an affordable, socially responsible investment for employers, and a retention strategy rolled into one.”

He also identified barriers such as misaligned academic calendars, siloed operations, and unclear demand signals. He recommended a model involving top-level university corporate engagement, public sector collaboration, and data-driven planning.