The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has launched seven cutting-edge laboratories, established by the Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL), aimed at advancing crime detection and ICT analysis.
During the inauguration ceremony, Prof. Grace Jokthan, Director of ACETEL, revealed that the university has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to facilitate resource sharing within agreed frameworks. Among the newly inaugurated laboratories is one equipped with the ‘Iris Face Recognition System,’ a sophisticated software predominantly used by security agencies.
“These laboratories, funded by the World Bank, are designed to aid security agencies and the university community in combating crime, ensuring a safe environment, and bolstering NOUN’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) capabilities,” Prof. Jokthan explained.
She highlighted the significance of the Iris Face Recognition System, noting its potential to identify suspects at crime scenes, thus playing a crucial role in criminal investigations and trials.
“We are proud to have completed this project within the scheduled timeframe. Our students can access these laboratories remotely, while those who can visit physically will find them instrumental in addressing the needs of the educational sector,” Jokthan added. She emphasized that the state-of-the-art facilities would serve both learning and research purposes, and assured that measures would be taken to protect and maintain the labs for secure and continuous access.
The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, who officiated the inauguration at the university’s headquarters, described the laboratories as transformative for virtual learning and Information Technology (IT) at NOUN.
“These facilities are game changers, enhancing the capacity not only for our staff but also for our students at the master’s and postgraduate levels. They will also serve those interested in short circuit courses to enhance their immediate skills,” Prof. Peters said.
He expressed his pride in the advancements made during his tenure, noting that IT has become the new currency in global education. The newly inaugurated laboratories, he said, would strengthen NOUN’s leadership in the digitalization of learning.
Prof. Peters also praised ACETEL’s management for effectively steering the World Bank-sponsored project and urged them to collaborate with other academic units within the university to maximize the impact of the new facilities.
“ACETEL cannot operate in isolation. It must collaborate with other academic units to ensure that the benefits of these facilities are widely felt. We will continue to support ACETEL in this endeavor,” Peters concluded.
The pathwaynews reports that the newly inaugurated laboratories include those dedicated to Management Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Virtual Reality, ACETEL Basic, Artificial Intelligence, ACETEL CISCO Academy, and Multimedia.
