Skyline University Nigeria

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Library Collaboration

In this 21st century, effective collaboration is no longer an option for libraries but certainly a necessity. The world around libraries is changing rapidly (Pinfield, Cox, & Rutter, 2017) Nowadays, universities are facing financial cutbacks, pressures for accountability, and changing nature of the library users which always lead to increasing client expectations particularly around the student experience (Hickman, 2017). Rapidly changing technologies, in areas such as social media and mobile technologies, are impacting on how, where, and when students and faculty access library services. More fundamentally, the services university libraries have traditionally provided can be seen as under threat. As such, libraries must join hands to connect together to provide all the necessary information for their users as postulated by Rangathan. Collaboration by libraries can help to avoid duplication of effort and provide efficiency savings, streamline work processes and free up time for more value added activities. It can also increase the profile, visibility, credibility, and influence of the library and library staff internally and externally. On occasions, library staff learn new skills and behaviors during collaboration work and these can subsequently be applied to the individual’s work in his/her own department or institution. From a user perspective, internal collaboration by the library can help to provide a more joined up service delivery, with a single user interface to different services or a reduction in the number of times data input is required. Involvement by users in the collaborative process can help to identify new and enhanced services that are relevant to users’ needs and more user friendly, with university staff and students often becoming more familiar with library services through involvement in the process. External collaboration in particular can help to provide a wider range of services than the partners could provide individually. Library collaboration can accomplish one or more of the below mutually beneficial objectives1. Cooperate in the exchange of information relating to the activities in the current trend of librarianship;2. Library Users of each Institution can visit the other to participate in Library Tour, Excursions and other activities to promote international friendship and cooperation between the two parties.3. Provide Reference Services through email, online chat, or telephone and if possibleanswer within 24 hours of receipt.4. Exchange of scholarly published articles from printed and electronic materials.5. Collaborate in organizing local or international conference6. Invitation to attend any conferences hosted by either institution.7. Conduct cultural projects, a mutually agreed in writing between the parties prior to commencement of the activity Challenges of Collaboration Atkinson (2018) in his own classical thinking enumerated some challenges which he noted that for a collaboration to be successful there will be a number of barriers and constraints to overcome. There can be significant differences in culture and working practice between the participants. Achieving the necessary cultural change can take time. Some staff may be resistant to change and not see the benefits of collaboration, there can be a real or perceived loss of professional or institutional identity, and staff may be uncomfortable or uncertain working outside their normal professional boundaries and comfort zones and feel isolated from their normal working colleagues. Staff involved in the collaboration may not have sufficient autonomy in allocating their time and effort, and, if they retain some of their normal responsibilities, there may be competing priorities. He further identified that, at a department or institution level, there may be difficulties associated with participants having different strategic goals, structures and priorities, with consequent difficulties in establishing a common approach or specification acceptable to all. It can be difficult to maintain the balance between protecting the policies and priorities of the participants while leveraging the opportunities that come from shared approaches. For example, there may be a need to give up local control of systems and services. Without this, there may be limits to the opportunities for effective collaboration and implementation of new initiatives. In Skyline University Nigeria, we believed that no any library can stand on its own. As such, we strived to link up with all the academic libraries in our midst and beyond so as to create a viable library collaboration. Sequel to this, Skyline University Nigeria Library has signed an MOU with Yusuf Maitama Sule University Library, Kano, Federal University Dutse Library, Jigawa State and recently Sule Lamido University Library, Kafin Hausa, Jigawa State. The purpose of the MOU is to establish friendship, cooperation in research, culture and to support quality library services for both the two parties. References Atkinson, J. (Ed.) (2018). Collaboration and the academic library: Internal and external, local and regional, national and international. Oxford: Chandos Publishing [CrossRef]Hickman, B. (2017). University libraries need to start putting the student first. Guardian Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2017/aug/03/university-libraries-need-to-start-putting-the-student-firstParsons, R. (2016). SCONUL shared services: A toolkit for library collaboration. London: SCONUL Retrieved from: https://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/1611%20Toolkit_for_Library_Collaboration.pdfPinfield, S., Cox, A. M., & Rutter, S. (2017). Mapping the future of academic libraries: A report for SCONUL. London: SCONUL Retrieved from: https://sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/SCONUL%20Report%20Mapping%20the%20Future%20of%20Academic%20Libraries.pdfSkyline University Nigeria (2018) MOU Draft of Skyline University Nigeria Library.Universities UK (2015). Efficiency, effectiveness and value for money. London: Universities UK [CrossRef] Retrieved from: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2015/efficiency-effectiveness-value-for-money.pdf Mr. Musa Mohammed, is the Assistant Librarian, Skyline University Nigeria. He has his MSc Information Management from Leeddeckett University, UK.  You can join the conversation on facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on twitter @SkylineUNigeria

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Excitement as New and Returning Students Resumes Academic Year, AY 2022/2023 Session

After the long absence from campus, relief, excitement and expectations permeate the Skyline University Nigeria campus as new and returning students resumed academic activities for fall, 2022/2023 Academic session. Earlier in its pre-semester check-list that demonstrates preparation of lectures and other academic activities. Not surprisingly, students, parents and guardians had expressed satisfaction with the University’s readiness on a full scale. Some returning Students and the members of the University community were on hand to welcome the students back to campus and to help them to settle down for their academic activities. This is part of the caucious effort of preparing the students for leadership role, and entrepreneurship excellence in knowledge, skills, and value-based education that would deliver quality graduates at graduation. Wishing you all, a fun-filled session!

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A Brief overview of Programmeming Languages and their relevance to the IT industry

Introduction Nowadays computer Programmeming languages can be used to communicate with another computer in a language that it can understand. There are varieties of computer Programmeming languages that Programmemers can use to interact with a computer, just as there are a variety of human-based languages. Classes and functions are used in Programmeming languages to manage commands. Programmeming instructs a computer to carry out these directions continuously, saving people from having to perform the same operation repeatedly. Instead, the computer Programme can complete it precisely and automatically. How significant is the Programmeming language to students? For young kids, understanding the code is crucial. Unquestionably, one of the most crucial talents to learn for both the present and future generations is coding. Programmeming helps young pupils acquire problem-solving abilities, including the capacity to address a dilemma both logically and imaginatively. What benefits do learning Programmeming languages offer? Coding can aid in our comprehension of technology. Coding improves one’s ability to solve problems. Coding is a useful tool for visualizing data and can enhance creativity. The language of coding is universal. There is a community of Programmemers. Coding can enhance professional opportunities. How would Programmeming benefit society? Develop software to address simple issues Build entertainment-focused applications. Build Global Problem-Solving Solutions. Algorithms that Increase the Efficiency of Processes Data analysis and trend discovery software. Software that Allows for Automation. How does Programmeming benefit today’s generation? It teaches us to approach problems logically and come up with solutions. A toddler learns how to deconstruct challenging issues into manageable steps. Instead of trying to solve every issue at once, take things one step at a time (which is how most real-world problems are solved) https://www.nextacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/5cfe1f5771000ab86a54a221_algo1-1024×427-1.jpeg” width=”500″ height=”209″ /> How the algorithm that supports and makes the process more efficient? Many tedious operations can be simplified and more efficient with the aid of algorithms. By figuring out the most cost-effective way to ship goods around the world, an algorithm may determine the shortest path for trucks to travel and dramatically reduce logistical operating costs.The same can be said for sales processes and sorting systems, and if you learn how to code, you can help with all of these. What will occur in the absence of Programmeming? Computers could not function at all without coding. They would serve no use at all. This is because source code is a set of instructions that directs the computer’s actions. Computers are just smart pieces of metal without clear guidance since they have no free will. How Programmeming is changing the world? It has altered how we live and improved the entire world. Not only is it making daily jobs simpler, but also it is also drastically bettering commercial operations and even assisting space organizations. Why do we say Programmeming is the future? Between 2016 and 2026, the profession is predicted to experience a job growth rate of 24 percent, which is more than three times faster than the average for all occupations. There are likely to be 302,500 new positions for software developers nationwide. Conclusion It assists in the enhancement of brain activity. Our minds remain fresh via practice and learning. It has been demonstrated that intellectually demanding tasks that we have never done before can help us think more clearly. Our brains create new neural connections and enhance old ones as we practice coding and Programmeming skills. Although the outlook for Programmeming may seem bleak, there is still a lot of space for development. Future Programmeming environments will be made possible by automation, machine learning, and AI. It will open the door for future development environments with little or no coding. Reference https://www.gcu.edu/blog/engineering-technology/computer-Programmeming-importance https://www.thecoderworld.com/importance-of-Programmeming-languages/ https://www.computerscience.org/resources/computer-Programmeming-languages/ https://www.highereducationdigest.com/in-todays-world-why-is-computer-Programmeming-becoming-increasingly-important-for-students/ https://www.fdmgroup.com/blog/7-benefits-of-learning-to-code/   Dr. A. Senthil Kumar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and the current Dean of the School of Science and Information Technology (SSIT) in Skyline University Nigeria. He has completed his Ph.D. in Computer Applications from Manonmaniam Sundarnar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.  You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria

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SUN Vice-Chancellor Visits Covenant University

The Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University Nigeria, Prof. Ajith Kumar V.V, being accompanied by the Corporate Affairs Executive, Mr Farouq Ismail has paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University, Prof. Abiodun H. Adebayo. The visit would create a room for relationship building, interaction and collaborations in the areas of research, teaching and community services. During the visit, the SUN team had the opportunity to visit the Covenant’s Centre for Research, Innovation and Discovery (CUCRID), Centre for Open and Distance eLearning (CCODel), and University Community Development Impact Initiatives Committee, amongst others. See the event in pictures.  

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Skyline University Nigeria Received Members of Addy Basic School on Changing Gear Seminar

Watch on YouTube! We are not just preparing students for the technologically driven world but giving them a taste of the untapped opportunities available at Skyline University Nigeria through our changing gear Programmemes. Watch Testimonials to see how SUN received members of Addy Basic School and Summerfield School on “Career opportunities in Cyber Security and Data Science” and Campus Tour.  

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Skyline University Nigeria’s Boot Camp on Leadership & Corporate Governance – A Highlight

Following the success of its first students’ boot camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Skyline University Nigeria (SUN), has led its second Boot Camp to the UAE for Government officials. The Boot Camp with the theme, “Leadership & Corporate Governance”, was organized in collaboration with Skyline University College, Sharjah, and featured thought leaders and delegates from the Kano State Government.  The Boot camp which was a 7-day event was organized with a key focus on Knowledge sharing, networking, facilitating corporate governance through captivating presentations, industrial visits that will provide actionable takeaways and of course having fun while visiting sites of historic heritage. To kick off, The Boot camp delegates were shown, some of the practices that have worked for leaders, covering everything aspect of leadership and its numerous opportunities. Aimed for breakthrough leadership, the boot camp was the start of an important learning journey, predicting emerging trends, explaining best practices and the biggest case studies tested amongst every delegate. The delegates were all ears during the seminar sessions and workshops alike, which played a key role in the delivery of functions, active mentoring and empowerment amongst other awards and recognitions. To spice up the boot camp there was the need to unwind and relax with an audacious goal. The delegates had a great time engaging in the concept of corporate governance and how the efforts of individuals can contribute to nation-building, reminding the delegates that achieving good governance is not, after all, an impossible task. Some of the benefits of the boot camp were seeing the world’s different cultures and opening minds to new things as well as new experiences about life in exciting ways. There were many other moments enjoyed about the boot camp and related training activities. One minute, the delegates were listening to an impressive lineup of expert speaker sessions from prominent faculty members; the next, they were taking part in an industry visit at IQ Robotics, Dubai Tour, and the Abu Dhabi Adventure, amongst others. More photos;  

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Role of Higher Educational Institutions in empowering youth to build a compassionate society

Across the globe, in the post-pandemic scenario, there is a growing interest among academicians and government agencies to promote social entrepreneurship as a remedy for many social menaces. It could be sustainability, hunger issues, empowering the deprived sections in society, protection of the environment, etc. The research also meant that universities and higher educational institutions (HEI) can, must and should play a significant role in fostering or nurturing empathy by evoking social entrepreneurial intent in the young generation through curriculum, co-curricular activities and involving students in community services during their academic tenure in a university/HEI (Mavuri.S, 2019). Research also proved that such efforts of educational institutions will go a long way in instilling human values and kindness in the young generation as their way of life. This, in turn, will help to build a compassionate society with a business of having a social entrepreneurial mindset and the emergence of social entrepreneurs from every sphere of an economy. Social Entrepreneurs are encouraged and promoted as they might offer solutions to environmental and social problems countries face and generate social value by offering sustainable solutions over a period of time. In recent times, the pandemic has created avenues for the emergence of new business opportunities which needs the attention of the businesses to address social problems, to name a few like online education, food safety, emergency management, online medical care, healthy living, telemedicine, the reworking of supply chains, remote communication, and better waste management. All these are such business ideas which are not just private This may create opportunities and ideas for the development of social entrepreneurship projects. Let us look at some of the variables which foster social entrepreneurial intent explained in an academic research model developed by Hockerts (2017). Prior experience Prior experience is the exposure and involvement in several social entrepreneurship activities, which may inculcate the desire to work with and find solutions to critical social issues. Prior experience with social issues gives confidence and makes people believe that they can make a difference in society. Involvement in social activities, social organizations, and social volunteer activities are linked with a positive attitude toward social entrepreneurship and result in greater self-efficacy. Empathy Empathy is the ability to understand the emotions, thoughts, and motivations of another and to resonate with them. Empathy can be of two types – Cognitive and Affective. Cognitive empathy is an ability to recognize and understand the pain of another person, whether or not you are resonating with them. Affective Empathy is not just understanding their pain but feeling the pain of others and helping them. Empathy and Compassion drive attitude towards the behaviour. According to Ajzen and other researchers attitude towards behaviour is one’s assessment towards performing or not performing certain behaviour which has a positive impact on social entrepreneurial intent. Empathy is an antecedent to social intent. It can also act as a trigger for the social entrepreneurial process. Moral obligation According to past literature personal moral values and standards are important traits a social entrepreneur possesses. Human decision-making is influenced by values and morals and there is evidence of the role of values in attitude formation and behaviour. One of the determinants of behaviour is perceived moral beliefs and adherence to societal moral standards. The study uses the perception that societal norms imply a moral obligation to help people excluded by society. Social entrepreneurial self-efficacy Self-efficacy is the belief in the abilities of oneself and to exhibit behaviour to produce a given level of achievement. It is confidence in one’s competence to successfully perform tasks related to a new venture. According to some research studies, individuals with high social entrepreneurial self-efficacy will tend to create more social value. Past research contradicts the relationship between self-efficacy and social entrepreneurial intent. Some studies conclude that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy and social entrepreneurial intent. The effect may be direct on intent or indirect in the form of perceived feasibility. There are some studies which did not find any relationship between self-efficacy and social entrepreneurial intent in their research. Self-efficacy is a variable in every social entrepreneurship model which makes a person believe in himself and results in the perception that the creation of a social venture is feasible. Perceived social support Social Support is the support in the form of trust and cooperation from the government, banks, family and friends. Social support plays an important role to foster the intent of young people and helps in enabling the social entrepreneurial process. It is a known fact that entrepreneurial networks and networking affect the entrepreneurial process. Family and friends share bonding and trust which play a key role in shaping the intention towards becoming social entrepreneurs. The perceived social support to a great extent influences the perceived feasibility and in turn the intent. The degree of social acceptability and social support in terms of providing resources is one of the predictors of entrepreneurial intention.  Social entrepreneurial intent Social entrepreneurial intent is to add value to the existing social enterprise or create a new one. The intent measures how serious a person is about a social issue and the time and effort one invests in a social cause and makes it a reality (Ajzen, 1991). Individuals’ personal characteristics to a great extent influence entrepreneurial intentions. Social Intent on implementation manifests into a social enterprise. Prieto defined social entrepreneurial intention as the innovative purpose that a person exhibits in starting a social company to create social value. The studies on social entrepreneurial intention have exhibited the involvement in social enterprises and environmental support toward social entrepreneur intention (Hockerts, 2017). According to the study by Chavali, et.al (2021), some of the important activities universities/HEIs can plan for students to promote their social entrepreneurial intent in them are – exposure to students in the volunteer field with organizations that work for a social cause, workshops by government bodies, emotional, social and ethical skill training, networking with alumni, working with sustainable development projects, mentoring, nurture new ideas of students,

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Take Responsibility

We learn a lot about career growth and how much of that depends on the desire to be responsible. Taking responsibility is not for the business industry or university service personnel but for everyone who understands that responsibility is crucial for success. It helps you work through your mistakes without being weighed down by regret, guilt, or shame. Taking responsibility is also considered the highest mark of leadership building. Being responsible, gives you a sense of accountability for whom you lead, what you’re in charge of or what you want to become. For example, a Customer Care responsibility may look like this: ‘Being responsible for making the customer happy or managing their emotions while they are in my care or having the consciousness that anything I do today will define the customer’s experience’. Take for instance a university admission officer, responsible for the admissions of students, attending to the students in his care and ensuring everyone is satisfied with their university’s application. What about the attendants in the business industries? Imagine if they have this knowledge practised on a daily basis, it becomes a culture and we will bother little about the long queue in the end. Taking responsibility for your own learning makes it easier to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once these have been identified you can work on a learning plan that focuses on the areas that you need the most help with, increasing the speed of your learning, and building the skills you have been trying to perfect.

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3 Tips to Stay Motivated on Your Goals

Staying motivated is an art that few people have come to master. For most, it almost seems for a moment as it comes and goes. Has your motivation gone down recently? have you been feeling reluctant to go on trying, whether it’s studying, working, or maybe exercising? Irrespective of how demanding your goals are, here is how you can stay focused. Imagine It Each time you feel discouraged about not able to meet your goals, try to stay motivated through visualization. If you can learn to imagine it, you can achieve it. So, in such cases, you can close your eyes and see yourself graduating from the University in the time assigned as per your completion schedule. You can imagine your names being called among the graduates and seeing yourself walk down the convocation arena a victor. Plan your day as per your schedule Many times, students may decide to study but their strengths may decide to do differently. It’s important to be the master of your time and plan your day as per your schedule and not by your strengths. Give studies your priority in terms of timing and whatever time was left, can be allocated to other extra-curricular activities, such as the students club, and volunteering activities, among other campus Programmemes. Let your vision be the one thing that kept you going The one thing that should keep you going should be your vision and your goals, what you aimed to achieve within the next four years of your study period at the University. When you get up in the middle of the night to study, say to yourself, that you are making this sacrifice for the greater good. Needless to say, this move has guided many people to manage their studies well. Though some people may submit their assignments at the last minute, what should matter is that they can meet all submission deadlines.

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Amazon Kindle – Ebook Reader the University Library

Librarians are required to investigate new information and communication technologies as they are introduced to the market to see if library users would find them beneficial. One illustration of modern technology is the e-book reader. Despite being available ever since the RocketBook made its debut in 1998, portable e-book readers have only recently become widely accepted by the general public. Amazon’s Kindle, a portable e-book reader it created and debuted in 2007, met the demands of the digital public and provided the company with a chance to boost sales of trade and other publications. Users of Amazon Kindle devices may browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, and other digital content from the Kindle Store using wireless networking. Borrowing now includes digital options that further expand your reading possibilities with the inclusion of e-books. This includes the Kindle devices from Amazon, which have dominated the market as many people’s preferred e-book readers. If you have a Kindle, whether it be an E Ink reader like the Kindle Paperwhite or base Kindle, an Amazon tablet like the Kindle Fire HD, or even the Kids Edition, you can borrow Kindle e-books. E-books can also be borrowed by users of the Kindle app for PCs, Macs, and other mobile devices. As with every technology advancement, libraries must decide whether and how to integrate e-books designed for specialized hardware, such as the Kindle, into their current operations and services. E-book readers have started to become available in libraries for loan to patrons. The purchasing of e-book readers has an impact on collection development, acquisitions, cataloging, and circulation regulations and practices. At the moment, the library at Skyline University Nigeria has Kindle books. The Library’s electronic books are almost all available as Kindle-compatible PDF files. You cannot download an entire book in pdf format, but you may download individual chapters. E-readers and libraries both have the basic effect of attracting customers, even if those customers may choose to read in a different technological environment. References Amazon Kindle, (2011)””Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle   https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/c.php?g=96618&p=626701 Rose, C (2007), CEO Jeff Bezos about the Kindle (interview), archived from the original (video) on November 22, 2007. Wikipedia, (2011) ““E-book,””http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBook.   Mr. Abdulqawiyya Mustapha CLN is a Library Assistant at Skyline University Nigeria Library. He has a B.A Library Information & Science from Bayero University Kano (BUK). You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria      

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