NSUKKA, NIGERIA — More than 100 academic and senior staff members, alongside postgraduate students, took part in a two-day artificial intelligence workshop at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), from August 26 to 27, 2026.
The Faculty of the Social Sciences organised the Train-the-Trainers Workshop, “Artificial Intelligence for Academia Productivity,” in partnership with the Design Thinking Center (DTC) and The Beaconsmith Collective. The programme was held at the Faculty of the Social Sciences Lecture Hall.
AI for research and teaching
Participants worked through practical applications of AI in literature discovery, research development, academic writing, teaching and assessment, postgraduate supervision, and academic administration.
The sessions focused on using AI to support academic work while keeping evidence, context and scholarly judgment with the people responsible for it. Participants were encouraged to verify AI-generated information, protect privacy and uphold academic integrity.
A train-the-trainers approach
The workshop was designed to extend beyond the people in the room. Its train-the-trainers format and a 30-day action plan were intended to help participants apply the learning in their research, teaching and other responsibilities, and share useful practices with colleagues and students.
Prof. Chukwuedozie Ajaero, Dean of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, said the question is no longer whether academics will encounter AI, but how well they are prepared to use it. Engr. Nzube Ndiokwelu, founder of The Beaconsmith Collective, led practical sessions on research, teaching, supervision and academic administration. Echeji Chibuike, Managing Partner of the Design Thinking Center, also contributed to the programme.
Building practical AI capacity in Nigerian universities
The UNN programme placed AI skills inside the everyday work of a university: teaching, research, supervision and administration. Its emphasis on verification and human responsibility treated AI not as a substitute for academic judgment, but as a tool that staff and students need to use with care.
The Beaconsmith Collective works with institutions and communities on practical applications of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Explore its programmes or contact the Collective about institutional training in Enugu and across Nigeria.
Source: Vanguard, “UNN equips academics with AI skills to transform research, teaching” (30 August 2026).
