The Covid-19 pandemic may have given room for laziness and unproductivity to thrive amongst the student’s community, given the extended closures of schools across the country in compliance with safety COVID-19 regulations. These extensions should be perceived as an opportunity to improve oneself and academic performance. That’s right – going out to the campus, participating in extracurricular activities and the likes may not be on the schedule yet, but here are some of the positive choices you can make while waiting for schools to reopen. Read a lot of books If you’ve got a lot of time due to the lockdown and don’t know what to do with it, one of the best ways to spend time being productive is to start reading books. Reading books will improve your verbal abilities, concentration and focus, improve your imaginations, make you smart, improve your memory and reduces stress. Reading is highly encouraged. You can make it a habit of spending at least 30 minutes or an hour to read daily while spending the remaining time trying other productive activities. Eventually, this will become your habit, and you will never want to miss out reading. Learn new skills Do not stay idle and unproductive during this lockdown. There are tons of free online and app-based resources that can help you learn and develop new skills in a fun way. We understand that you can’t learn everything but learning a skill in a field that you are passionate about or that is tied to your major, is a good head start in this lockdown. You can learn tailoring, coding, graphics designs, Programmeming, website designs and management as it meets your desires. Develop a positive attitude You can develop a positive attitude in the lockdown when you focus on positive choices that will move you closer to your goals. Staying connected with family and friends, whether over the phone or via a video call can make a huge difference because it’s all about having the right mind-set. Make sure your goals are something that you genuinely want – not something you feel like you should want – and spend time considering why each goal is important to you.  Adhere to Covid-19 safety regulations Stay safe and follow all the COVID-19 safety measures such as regular hand washing/frequent use of sanitizers, keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from others and wearing a mask will continue to be some of the most important things students can do to stay safe, while they pursue their career studies.

The COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, has caused a severe impact on higher education. As universities across the country, closed their premises, the students’ community experienced major disruptions in learning. Although Skyline University Nigeria was quick to replace traditional classroom learning with virtual classes, bringing about an expanded learning environment based on digitization that soon compliments the student-teacher relationship. While schools remained closed, the uninterested and ordinary events in school that students take for granted became the things that were most missed. As students prepare to return to school once again on January 18th, 2020 for the 2020/2021 academic session, after much-repeated closures and reopening of schools and ones again to make meaningful contact with people, it is worth remembering what we missed in 2020. Here are a few suggestions. #1 Extra-curricular Activities There is no amount of extra-curricular activities expected of the students’ community. Students tend to create something new every day for the sake of their interest while taking advantage of the university’s facility as well as resources. Getting involved in extracurricular activities has helped students to broaden their interests and build up their CVs as well as portfolios, especially through their participation in career-building opportunities offered by the university.  #2 The Social Life While studying and achieving a degree may be considered a key part of the university, students have considered having an active social life as an important component of the undergraduate years. Whether you want to get involved in societies, Student Union politics or simply enjoy the events being hosted by the university. #3 Making New Friends Making new friends is quite easy at the university. It’s very common to be on the way to the library in the morning and bump into new friends and other friends who will probably be on their way to the university’s library, the same thing applies every day in the campus. #4 Recreational Zone The Sport and Recreation Zone offers a wide range of activities for all sporting interest. The Student Recreation Zone is a primary resource centre for students, faculty, staff and alumni to workout and participate in indoor activities. Who wouldn’t miss this part of the university? #5 Students’ Club Because the university welcomes the contribution made to student life by clubs, societies and other organizations in the university campus, Skyline University Nigeria is working together with the student’s body to ensure students are introduced or welcomed back to as many available opportunities while taking the pandemic into account.

Ever wondered why the majority of today’s graduates are unemployed, despite impressive academic qualifications? Well, most graduates are not employable in any industry/organizations because they lacked the employability skills. They failed to develop what is called soft skills that are necessary for getting, keeping and staying successful in any employment. These soft skills which include time management, emotional intelligence, resilience, empathy, integrity, learnability and leadership skills will enable prospective employers to get along with colleagues, to make critical decisions, solve problems and strongly represent the organization. It is often said in Skyline University Nigeria that academic qualifications & soft skills are inseparable to developing the students’ capacity and not limited only to studies. These activities are part of the students’ experience, so the university has to encourage students’ participation in them. Where these activities are overdone to the extent that they interfere with academic work, students are encouraged to learn to balance it, to accommodate the realities of daily life while allowing students to learn intelligently for better job potential. Soft skills are crucial to developing employable graduates, building a student’s portfolio or curriculum vitae (CV). In Skyline University Nigeria, these aspects of training the students are based on knowledge, skills and value-based educational approach, which are goal-directed, flexible and supportive, and within the students’ curriculum. It is forecasted to close the unfortunate gap between what students learn in the university and what they are expected to know to be job-ready. While academic grades are indicative of how much a candidate has studied while in school, Skyline University Nigeria has substantially increased the value of the student’s degree by adding more time to teaching the students critical soft skills so that they can be able to demonstrate a certain level of people-skills. This opportunity will present a huge opportunity for SUN students to leverage their experience to boost their employability and be a valuable contributor to the development of the economy. We invite you to apply to boost not only your academic skills but your employability. Below are some of the benefits enjoyed by SUN students that you can also be part of. Develop the confidence you need to succeed at work or school Develop skills for success and computer skills to support your goals Improve your study strategies and the likelihood of success in postgraduate Have additional professional certifications as well as business training

The beginning of last year, 2020 was filled with new promises, resolutions, and projected goals. Rather than honouring the new years’ tradition of keeping through with the resolutions made, the year 2020 proved to be a difficult year, filled with unprecedented challenges, due to the COVID-19 Virus outbreak. In Nigeria, the effect cuts across every facet of human existence and the consequences includes a huge disruption in individual routine, loss of jobs and pay cuts across various industries including the educational establishments.Surprisingly, not many people were able to meet up on their set goals of 2020. Yet, as humans, desirous of progress, we can achieve almost anything when we set our minds to it, set new 2021 Goals and carry over some from 2020 until we get it right. When we commit to making things happen, we boost the chances that it will become a reality. Hence, we are only guaranteed a better 2021 if we can do things differently.So, it’s been a few weeks since the New Year began, what are we doing differently from last year to improve academic performance, to develop soft skills and be career-ready as an undergraduate? The first important step to doing things differently is to sit back and reflect on the year that was (2020) and ask the question, what are the things that worked? What didn’t work? What do we want to continue doing in 2020? And what are the negative attitudes we have to say goodbye to as students of Skyline University Nigeria? Here is a little inspiration, to get you started.Study smarterQuizzing yourself is a highly effective study technique. Make a study guide and carry it with you so you can review the questions and answers periodically throughout the day and across several days. Identify the questions that you don’t know and quiz yourself on only those questions. Say your answers aloud.Communicate differentlyThe world is a big network of connections. Some of them are of better quality than others, and your time on this planet is limited. Smart learners understand that they need high-quality connections — people around them who will inspire them, shake their worlds, and ask good and deep questions. We learn best when we are relaxed and have a real friend and mentor around.Try new thingsTo be able to learn, our brain needs stimulation and then a good rest. Just look at how a small child explores the world, looks at everything with curiosity, then tries to put the pieces together and checks the taste. Later, the child “sleeps like a baby!” Smart learners possess that spark of curiosity and often try something new. Take part in some workshops or skill acquisition training and meet new people. They do some things differently and you can learn from them as well.Don’t give up too earlyWith great fear of failure comes giving up too early. Today, we are tempted to try new things just a few times and then resign. When we can’t master something quickly, why bother? However, turn back time and imagine yourself as a child learning how to walk. How many times did you fall in that process? Probably hundreds! Now you possess that great skill without thinking about it, but what would have happened if you had given up too early? Learning takes time and falling often — smart learners understand that.

Guest Lecturer, at the 5th ‘CEO Lecture Series’ of Skyline University Nigeria (SUN), Ms. Busola Alofe, and the Registrar/CEO of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) has urged students of the university to take social responsibility very seriously. According to her, social responsibility is especially tied with ethical conduct, passion test and purposeful life, where ideas can be shared in teams to make the society better.                               She gave this charge, amongst others, while delivering a lecture titled ‘Finding Meaning and Fulfilling Purpose through a Life of Social Responsibility’ on Thursday, 10th December 2020 through an online platform. Ms. Alofe, who defined social responsibility as the ethical concept of being accountable for impacting society and culture, and creating ideas that will make the society better, stated that individuals are social entities capable of finding a progressive life. “Students should be able to ask the question, how am I impacting the society positively, because this question is key to finding self?” she added. The principles of social responsibility, she noted, could be applied in every sphere of life in giving back to society. The ethical conduct for the students, according to her, must be measured within context of finding meaning, purpose, passion, fulfilment and stewardship, categorized in the following tips; 1. Students should be able to have the opportunity to explore the things they love to do and what comes to their ways easily. 2. To ask themselves, what qualities they enjoy expressing the most in the world. 3. To create a life purpose statement. 4. Follow inner guidance and decide where they want to go. 5. Be clear about their purpose 6. Conduct passion test. 7. Think about the times they’ve experienced the greatest joy in their life and conduct a joy review. 8. Take time for themselves. 9. Align goals with life purpose and passion and finally take feedbacks from others 10. Measure how they feel about their positive impact in the community. In his opening remark, Professor Sudhakar Kota, the Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University Nigeria, stated that the relevance of social responsibility in the current context is very important for the youth to shape the society for a better tomorrow. He appreciated the Guest Speaker and added that the lessons of today, will be beneficial to all the students and staff of the university to develop a planned action towards ethical works and conduct. Engr. Bashir Garba, the Head of Corporate Affairs Department of the University and convener of the ‘CEO Guest Lecture Series’, while delivering the closing remark, appreciated the Speaker for the wonderful presentation, which he described as an ‘inspiring and sermon lectures. “Already the visions of Skyline University Nigeria and CIPM are likeminded and we look forward to a more impactful event”, he remarked.

Speakers at the recently held two-day e-training Programmeme, of Skyline University Nigeria (SUN), held on Monday, 7th to Tuesday 8th November 2020 has urged participants to develop a work-life balance for employee productivity. The online training Programmeme with the theme, ‘Enhancing Work-Life Balance During Tough Times’ was hosted in collaboration with Skyline University College, Sharjah, for the members of the Ministry of Education Kano, to support the future of work from home as well as demonstrate the importance of machine learning. In her presentation at the two-day e-training, Dr. Kakul Agha, one of the guest speakers, who spoke on ‘work from home & enhancing work-life balance during tough times’, stated that there are more options than ever to enhance the workplace environment and remain productive. She added that a successful work-life balance will leave employees refreshed rather than frazzled at the end of each workday, making them not only better professionals, but better parents, spouses, friends, and community members. Dr. Mohammed Afifi, in another presentation titled, ‘Introduction to BlockChain’, highlighted that Bitcoin is one of the first private Blockchain networks to prove that value can be moved anywhere around the world without banks or other third parties. He defined Blockchain as a decentralised ledger of all transactions in a network. “Blockchain technology can work with other technologies to change the business and work landscape. For example, a Blockchain can be used with smart contracts, so that partial payments are made when certain conditions are met without requiring partial human involvement.” He stated. While positing that within the strategic process of organizational goals, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) must be consistent and set so that they are meaningful for the owning organizational strategy and goals. Dr. Paul Katuse, who delivered training on ‘Achieving Strategic Goals and KPI’S in the current times’ said the e-training will show participants how KPIs can be facilitated by using management frameworks such as the Balanced Scorecard. “KPIs can also be effectively monitored and measured to easily monitor organizational progression”. Dr. Karamath & Dr. Alaa M. Momani, in their presentation on ‘Introduction to Machine learning’, stated that it’s in line with the pursuit of the objectives of the University on capacity-building. “Employee, he stated, would be expected to make use of tools such as Data, which entailed machine learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and pattern recognition”. He added that workplace employee must be able to match skills for greater opportunities. While giving the opening remark, Professor Sudhakar Kota, the Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University Nigeria stated that initiatives such as this are one of the university’s corporate social responsibility. He welcomed the participants to the e-training Programmeme “Our core values is based on knowledge skills and value-based education, geared towards bridging the gap between knowledge and skills amongst the youth in Nigeria.