Skyline University Nigeria

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SUN Student Aisha Kabir Wins Top Prize at 2023 COE Startup Challenge

The Centre for Excellence, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (COE) Startup Challenge competition for students of Skyline University Nigeria reached its climax today (Tuesday 31st January 2023). Following the successful pitch of her business plan against 8 other competitors, Aisha Kabir, a 300-level student of the Entrepreneurship Department, was crowned the winner, receiving N5,000,000 investment, to accelerate her company ‘Care Home Plus’, an organization that provides care services for the Elderly. The competition, followed a challenging pitching process in front of a panel of business experts, including Mr PK Gulati, the President Emeritus, of TIE Dubai, Ms Sicily George, the Executive Director, of TIE Dubai, Mr Sriram, Venkateswaren, the Chairman, of FullMark Group, Mrs.Anju Ganglani is Head Mistress of Prime Primary School, Prime College Kano, Mr Babangida Mohammad, the Manager of Contact Operations at 9mobile, Hajia Khaulat Idris Abubakar Bebeji, the CEO KMIA Medical Store and a host of other respective Judges. The competitors, Maryam Nawar Nour Hanga, Ahmad Nura Umar, Aliyu Farouk, Aisha Kabir, Fatima Ahmad Nuhu, Aliyu Muhammad Atiku, Fatima Ibrahim, Amina Ali Ibrahim, Aisha Abdulaziz all showed creativity in their business pitch but the competition allowed only one winner to emerge with the best prize. On announcing the winner, the Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University Nigeria, Prof. Ajith Kumar V.V said, “This is a fantastic prize. Projects like this provide students with an incredible step up, giving them access to angel investors, mentors and support during a crucial stage of their business.” Winning the competition Aisha said, “This award will give me the room to be creative and the space to push out my business plan to execution and create a strong brand. See the event in photos.

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A Highlight of 2022’s Achievement – Skyline University Nigeria

The year 2022 was a remarkable year for Skyline University Nigeria. It would be recalled that the regulatory body for university education in Nigeria, The National Universities Commission, (NUC) has granted Skyline University Nigeria a PERMANENT LICENCE as a Private University following a four years provision period within which the university has operated. The license received was sequel to the recent NUC’s visit on the status of the University’s license. This is an attestation that the commission was satisfied with the efforts made by Skyline University Nigeria to meet the requirements as described by the commission for the issuance of a permanent operating license. In its vision to become one of the top 10 universities in the world, the university has in the last quarter, received accreditation of 11 Programmemes by the NUC, and gained approval to run 7 additional degree Programmemes in LL.B. Law, B.Sc. Cybersecurity and B.Sc. Data Science, Doctor of Physiotherapy, B.NSc. Nursing Sciences, Tourism & Hospitality Management, as well as Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS). As a University, Skyline University Nigeria have ranked, No 1 amongst private Universities in North-West, No 8. Private University in Nigeria, and No 16 overall University in Nigeria by the NUC in 2022. The metrics for the rankings indicated an improvement in the University’s comparative performance in the five metrics for the current orders, which included Teaching, Research, Citation, and International Outlook. The University has also featured significantly in other categories of rankings such as the World University Ranking, 4ICU Ranking, Webometrics Ranking, and the Young University Rankings. In the same vein, the university has showcased its readiness to commence Postgraduate studies which is forecasted to begin in 2023, pending the NUC’s approval.

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Improvement in Infant Mortality Rate, a Measure of Family Health

Child mortality is a critical global issue before civilization and therefore, it has been included in the Sustainable Developmental Goal 3.2 (SDG 3.2, Newborn and child mortality) in the United Nations Development Programme under two categories, 3.2.1 (Under-5 mortality) and 3.2.2 (Neonatal mortality). The target for 3.2 is to reduce neonatal mortality and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 12 and 25 respectively per 1,000 live births by 2030. Commendable progress globally has been witnessed in reducing childhood mortality since 1990. The total number of under-5 deaths worldwide has declined from 12.6 million in 1990 to 5.0 million in 2020. Since 1990, the rate has dropped by 60%, from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 37 in 2020 (1). But on the flip side, the neonatal mortality (in the first 28 days of life) rate remains unabated an upward trend of death has been observed in the newborn period. 4 million newborns were dead in 2020, nearly half (47%) of all under-5 deaths occurred in the newborn period, an increase of 40% from 1990 (2). Another setback in this issue is that the achievement has not become uniform across the globe. The highest neonatal mortality rate has been seen in the two geographies of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa (58% of global newborns, 73 per 1000 live births) and South Asia (26% of global newborns) respectively in 2021. Together, two regions, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia account for more than 83% of the 5.0 million under-5 deaths in 2021. Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Chad, and Sierra Leone are the top Sub-Saharn African Countries bearing the most brunt of the burden, and Nigeria being the most populous country in the region, has emerged as the global hotspot of infant mortality (3). The above representation indicates that various types of infection-related diseases are the primary cause of newborn children’s death (4). The specific cause for the top bar, Neonatal disorder, in the presentation are mainly due to neonatal preterm birth, neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma, neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections, and hemolytic disease and other neonatal jaundice. Even in this category parameters like sepsis, and jaundice is infection related too. Altogether, the improvement of Hygiene (cleanliness) is the key factor to usher in a new era in the world to welcome a baby to the family of Nigerian households. Nothing can be the worst experience in somebody’s tenure of life to see the death of their children in front of them. This result to a popularly asked question “Can death be conqured?“. References:  (1) WHO/Newsroom/Fact sheets/Detail/Child mortality (under 5 years) (2) WHO/Newsroom/Fact sheets/Detail/Child mortality (Newborn Mortality) (3) https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-survival/under-five-mortality/  (4) Statista Research Department, Sep 2, 2022, Main causes of infant mortality in Nigeria 2019.   Dr. Susanta Pahari is a Professor of Biochemistry in Skyline University Nigeria. He has a PhD. in Biochemistry from University of Calcutta, India. You can join the conversation on facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on twitter @SkylineUNigeria

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Skyline University Nigeria Holds 2023 Coding Challenge for Pre-Varsity Schools

In its quest to train and develop Africa’s youth with skills to meet the requirement of the global village, Skyline University Nigeria has organized its 2023 Coding Geeks Challenge Competition for Pre-varsity schools in Kano. The competition required participants to undergo rigorous tech skills, and other exciting coding challenges with windows application development and hands-on experience. The competing schools, being represented by students who meet all the requirements outlined in the competitions were assessed based on creativity, originality, and, technical excellence The competition was organized by the University’s Computer Science Department, led by Dr. Vijay Arputaraj to help develop and launch the next Africa’s digitally enabled youth. The University’s Director of Academic Support Service, Ms Sarada Maganti, declaring the Programmeme open, acknowledged the continuous support and encouragement of Private secondary schools to be part of the Coding Challenge 2023. According to her, “there is no better time to prepare for the future than now”. The 2023 Coding Challenge was a laudable initiative, especially as it relates to its emphasis on the Information Technology (IT) sector, and support for youth development that could solve some of the problems in the African continent and the global world. The goal is to upscale African talents with digital and coding skills, as they prepare for a career in the university. There was a robust panel discussion during the competition, that included the Dean SSIT Dr.Senthil Kumar A, Head of the Computer Department, Dr Vijay Arputharaj and Lecturer I Dr M. Ashok Kumar, coding event coordinators. Other panelists include Mr Aliyu Lawan, Mr Miracle Uwa, Mr. Abdullahi Sani, Ms. Hafsah Ahmed, Mr Bello Austin, Mr. Aliyu Sulieman, Mr.Ismail and Ms. Maimuna. Four schools, LEBANESE CONSULATE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL led by AVIJITSAI PRADEEP NAIR emerged 1st place, INTERCONTINENTAL COLLEGE led by ZAINAB SARKI emerged 2nd, while YANDUTSE COLLEGE led by YUSUF KABIR and NIGERIAN TULIP INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, led by HANIFA MOHAMMAD emerged third place respectively. All four schools received 50 book donations each, courtesy of the University’s Library.    

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Check-ins From Holiday to Semester

There are certain places that every undergraduate knows very well. These places include the campus library, the lecture classes, the restaurants, the sports facilities, the places of worship, etc. Collectively, some called it ‘The triangular Life’. In the first few feeks after the holiday hits, some students forget their academic routines because it’s easy to become lazy when there is so much rest. Do not let the holidays lay to waste. Here are some things you can do differently before you check in back to campus: Go traveling Nigeria is a big country geographically with diverse cultures. Traveling during your semester holidays provides an opportunity for you to wind off the semester stress since school activities can be very stressful for students. As such, a holiday during the semester break can do wonders. The idea of traveling during the semester break is to get away from things that stress you and live a life that doesn’t follow a routine for a while. Travelling provides a great way for students to “de-stress”. Find an internship or a part-time job Long holidays are always a good period to find an internship or a part-time job to get into society before graduation. If you have not made any plans, you may find yourself bored and start looking for other ways to best occupy your time. Planning early and looking for an internship or volunteer experience during the fall semester for winter break makes sense. You can find an internship in a course-related company to train your skills and pave the way for a future career. Continue to Study For the rest of the students who like being in the “STUDY GURU” mode, holidays are the perfect time to recharge and refocus for the new semester/session, as the perfect opportunity to get a head start on the school curriculum and revise for the upcoming exams. When classes begin, you’ll have a better idea of what the lecturer is talking about. Check-ins from holiday to semester can help you revamp your experience and get you ready for the next semester. Now that the holiday is drawing to a close, what can you proudly say you’ve been able to do?

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Pros of Having a Master’s Degree In Computer Science and Software Engineering

The first question that comes to the mind of students who have completed their undergraduate studies is a very confusing thought. Do I need to do my Postgraduate or take a Job and gain some experience? Do I need a post-graduate degree to improve my full-stack development or other Programmeming careers? Well, an answer to this question would be a NO. As far as database and full stack development are concerned it is only a skill. With basic education and good practice, you can always enhance your skills and pursue the relevant job, but there are many pros to having a master’s degree in computer science and software engineering which I would like to highlight in this article. If you have enjoyed and learnt basic skills at Under Graduate level it will continue to improve your learning at a higher level. An Undergraduate course will focus only on the fundamentals of the course. Whereas a master’s degree will guide you into more specialized paths. As far as computer science and software engineering are concerned I would like to highlight the top ten courses in Master’s [1]. MSc Web Design and Development Master in Big Data Solutions Master’s Degree in Research in Cybersecurity Master in Computer Science Software Engineering for Embedded Systems Master’s Degree in Business Intelligence and Big Data in Cyber Secure Environments Digital Humanities Computer Science Online MSc Master in Computer Science & IT Security Master of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Having a Master’s Degree will immediately elevate your technical status at your current or prospective company. In case of debates of promotion internally in a workplace, your master’s degree will be the key to justifications. It is also important to note that sometimes the place where you work, will be ready to pay your tuition reimbursement to pursue your Master’s. In that case, all you need is some time to avail your resource. This scenario highlights how companies value your Master’s degree as advanced when it is ready to pay for it. In the case of having ideas to pursue doctorate degrees the master’s degrees will take you one step closer to the goal. In case you have an idea to teach at a University, a master’s degree will help you to attain your goal. Most universities hire faculty with the minimum master’s degree for this position. A master’s degree with relevant experience will take you high in these postings. Conclusively, a full stack or Programmeming job doesn’t require a master’s degree, but in case you pursue it, it will be considered. A master’s degree will always open doors to an enhanced future than the UG degree. You will find versatile opportunities and be self-motivated when you have higher qualification Reference [1] https://www.educations.com/top-10-lists/top-10-popular-online-masters-computer-science-information-technology-18431 [2] https://cacm.acm.org/blogs/blog-cacm/224837-benefits-of-a-masters-degree-in-computer-science/   Dr.Vijay Arputharaj is a lecturer at Skyline University Nigeria and has completed his PhD in Computer Science from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India. You can join the conversation on facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on twitter @SkylineUNigeria

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Global Warming and the Role of Individuals in Developing Countries

Global warming is an issue that affects the entire world. It is one of the most pressing environmental problems facing humanity today, and its effects are felt in all parts of the globe. Global Warming can simply be understood as an increase in the average temperature of the earth. The term is used to describe climate change that is attributed to human activities. It was first used by Wallace Broecker, who published an influential paper titled “Climatic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?” in 1975. The current scientific consensus on climate change is that it is caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, which release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into Earth’s atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) summarizes current scientific thinking with their best estimate of future climate change and its impacts. In 2007 they concluded that most of the observed warming since 1950 is likely due to anthropogenic causes. Many governments have signed agreements committing themselves to reductions in emissions, primarily through limitations on carbon dioxide emissions or increases in efficiency; there are also many non-government actions being taken as well. These agreements are generally considered insufficient to prevent significant global warming. Human activities that cause global warming include burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil; clearing land for agriculture, forestry, and development; and driving vehicles. Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat from the sun’s rays inside the Earth’s atmosphere causing Earth’s average temperature to rise. Clearing land also releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and reduces the number of trees available to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Driving vehicles emit pollutants that contribute to global warming. Reducing your reliance on fossil fuels, driving less, and supporting reforestation are all ways you can help reduce global warming caused by human activity. Carbon dioxide is emitted when fossil fuels are burned for electricity, transportation, heating and industrial processes. Carbon dioxide is also emitted when we burn trees and other plants as part of deforestation. And carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere every time someone drives their car or flies on an aeroplane. Many scientists have said that these activities can cause changes to our planet’s climate over time that could disrupt weather patterns and alter ecosystems. We’re already seeing some of those effects today with things like more extreme storms and rising sea levels due to melting ice caps. The federal government has said as of 25th October 2022, at least 603 people have been killed in floods across Nigeria with 1.3 million persons displaced from their communities. Some of the states where deaths from floods have been reported include Kogi, Anambra, Kebbi, Delta, Bayelsa, and Jigawa with about 31 states said to have experienced flooding in 2022. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, revealed that about 82,053 houses had been totally decimated, 2,504,095 million persons were affected, and 332,327 hectares of land were completely damaged. Other statistics indicated that the number of injuries is 2,407, while houses that were partially destroyed totals 121,318, and farmland partially decimated is 108,392. Though human activities in Africa are not wholly responsible for global warming, Africans and others in developing nations bear most of the brunt. In effect, deliberate efforts must be made in developing nations to limit the activities that could lead to further environmental degradation. There are a number of steps that individuals in Africa can take to reduce the effects of global warming. Firstly, it is important to increase awareness of the issue and its potential impacts. This can be done through education and outreach Programmemes which target both adults and children. Secondly, energy efficiency measures should be adopted in order to reduce emissions from power generation and use. This includes using energy-efficient appliances, insulating homes and office buildings, and promoting the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power. Thirdly, individuals must desist from activities related to deforestation like cutting down trees without replacement. Again, water conservation efforts must be undertaken in order to reduce the amount of water used for irrigation and other purposes. This includes installing low-flow showerheads and toilets, using greywater systems, and planting drought-resistant vegetation. By taking these simple steps, Africans can make a significant contribution towards mitigating the effects of climate change. Reference Broecker, W. S. (1975). Climatic change: are we on the brink of a pronounced global warming?. Science, 189(4201), 460-463. Bakam, A. (25TH Oct. 2022). Floods killed 612, injured 2,776 in 2022 – Minister. Punch.   Nyam Elisha YAKUBU is a lecturer II in the Department of International Relations of the School of Arts, Management and Social Science in Skyline University Nigeria. He holds an M.Sc. in International Relations and Strategic Studies, B.Sc. in Political Science both from the University of Jos, Nigeria. You can join the conversation on facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on twitter @SkylineUNigeria

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Most Common Mistakes Made in Exams & How You Can Avoid Them

There is no substitute for adequate revision in the educational system. As a student, if you have done your revision, there is no need to get stressed in an exam. You will find several mistakes which could have been avoided in varsity/college exams occur chiefly as a result of inadequate preparation of students. Below are common mistakes made in exams, how to avoid them, and answer the questions better. Panicking Most students panic at the placement of exams time table. It is easy to panic especially if your first reaction is that you are unprepared to take an exam. It is important to calm down, have a reading plan, study beforehand than to jump in for a last-minute study. In the end, you should be able to find that out of five, you can answer three questions accurately and make a reasonable attempt at the others. Start every exams preparation with a plan and when you have finished it, go through the same process again for all other courses. This will help you calm down. Under planning Most students fail not because they have failed to plan, but because such a plan in under planned. Under planning is when a student is focused on his general knowledge of a course and suggest possible exams questions he/she should expect in as exams without a proper guide. A proper guide in this context is in the use of past questions that can give you a clue to the kind of questions you should be expecting before the actual exams. Hence, students should thrive to procure past questions on a course because it will help a lot. Failing to Practice your answers It is admittedly much easier to practice solving past questions which include a shorter essay-type response. An essay usually needs to make an argument, and have a reasonable flow from start to finish. This requires planning and practice. Before you start writing your essay, take five to ten minutes to plan what you are going to include in each section, and how you will structure your argument, beginning with an introduction, followed by the body and conclusion. You do, however, need to be able to time yourself as per the scheduled time allowed per the exams past questions before the actual exams. The same goes for multiple choice exams. Try to be aware of the time, and the number of questions to be completed, and ensure that you have practiced enough to complete the paper within the time allowed. Before you start writing, check the number of questions, and the amount of time you have. This will tell you roughly how long you have to complete each question. Just as a basic check, read back over what you have written at the end and be sure it makes sense. If you think you need improvement, go over the same process again until you are sure you are ready to sit for the exams. Finally, if you tried these methodologies and are unable to relax due to some distractions, you can take some time out and try again later. You should never study solely amidst distractions. If you try to practice before the exams, check back and make sure that you are ready and convinced of making the exams, not in overconfidence but in a stable mind.    

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Best Exams Preparation Tips for Every Undergraduate

In preparing for an exam, while some students do seem to thrive on the popular last-minute studies, it is widely accepted that this method is not the best way to approach any exams particularly in institutions of higher learning. As you get into higher classes, learning should be a way of life, rather than an activity that you do sometimes only. There are also instances where students become fond of wasting much time creating plans and making a schedule before studying, and when they study, they don’t bother studying too hard. Some students feel that because they made a good grade in the secondary school examinations, therefore passing the undergraduate exams wouldn’t be such a big deal. There are lots of conventional advice out there that contradict this reasoning. Unfortunately, most students are already deep in this conventional exams study methodologies that do not apply to their individual capacity. hence they experience academic stagnation as they proceed in their academic journey. Let’s discuss some of these exams preparation tips. Have a Smart Reading Plan and follow it Naturally, it makes sense to make an examination plan and stick to it. Unfortunately, when you spend too much time planning before you’ve taken any action is like reading how to ride a bicycle without having an actual bicycle to practice with. All the theory and planning will quickly go out the window once the real study begins. Therefore, worry about one day at a time consistently studying and focusing on subject outline than the entire course/subject per semester. Being Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough In the education line, you will come across some student who believes in ‘doing the minimum’. Hence they study only for a few hours. Well, doing the minimum is like just being good enough. But being good enough isn’t good enough if you are not making the desired score in your exams. Just getting a passing grade in life will not get you the opportunity to become a better student because the knowledge you will get from studying to pass an exam will become an added experience to you in your career. In fact, the rest of your career is dependent upon the knowledge you will get studying. Past Questions are not Enough Generally, students become past question centered that is exclusively the compilation of previous examination papers taken by other candidates that sat for such examination. So, if you study past question really hard, you might do really well on the actual exam. But let’s say you study only previous years questions then took the exams and discovered that the questions were changed. You will do awful, regardless of how well you’ve studied past questions. Past questions are meant to be tools to help students learn the focus, find the gaps and be informed of what they need to study. Not the actual content of the exams. Little wonder students are encouraged, in addition to mastering past questions, to read additional textbooks and related materials. Do Not be Too Confidence There are moments when previous exams experiences will help but there are times when one has to focus and concentrate on the exam by updating his/her study materials, surrounding yourself with other like-minded students, supporting each other and discussing the actual exam. Remember to work hard, and help others that aren’t as far along as you. Focus on that and you will get through the exams with flying colours.  

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Skyline University Nigeria Holds Cultural Day 2023

Skyline University Nigeria (SUN) holds its annual cultural day 2023. One fact about Skyline University Nigeria is that we are not the same. Every year, we keep changing the way our events are organized. This year, the cultural day was everything but boring. Cultural day 2022 in Skyline University Nigeria isn’t like the way other schools do, why? Because we are unique and special in our own way. First students and staff came together to share food and performances from many of the ethnic groups which make up the SUN community. The event started at noon with an opening with the National anthem, followed by a red-carpet performance including solo performances, duets, a cultural Parade, choreography, etc. The event was quite an adventure and a memorable experience for all the students. Fun fact, about this year’s Programme, students were allowed to come with their different cultural displays and be represented as a department by groups. The radiantly dressed cultural groups put up an exemplary performance to the admiration of everyone. With their colourful beads, beautiful accessories, and trendy traditional attires, from various groups in the world. They express themselves in dance, songs, and other activities associated with varied cultures in the country and the world over. Hours of practice were evident in the polished performances of the students representing diverse and distinct groups. The students turned up in large numbers to enjoy the event. It was indeed an exceptional day to experience and enjoy the exciting display of cultural activities. The occasion was enjoyed by everyone and the images below indicated how many students had been involved with the various cultural groups.

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