Augustine University Mathematical Sciences Students Showcase Industry Experience at SIWES Defence

The Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, has conducted its 2025/2026 Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) defence exercise for 400-level students, providing a platform for them to demonstrate the practical knowledge and professional skills acquired during their industrial training.

The exercise, held from Monday, October 19, to Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Software Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, involved 104 students across four programmes: Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering and Cyber Security.

The students completed their mandatory three-month industrial training between July 13 and September 30, 2026, in relevant organisations across the public and private sectors. Their places of industrial attachment included Chevron Nigeria Limited, Oando Plc and MTN Nigeria, among others.

The defence panel comprised faculty members of the department who also served as university-based SIWES supervisors. The exercise was coordinated by the department’s SIWES Coordinator, Dr Ebenezer Akinmerese.

As part of the assessment, students submitted their SIWES technical reports and duly signed logbooks for evaluation. Each student also delivered a five-minute PowerPoint presentation highlighting their place of industrial attachment, tasks performed, skills acquired and challenges encountered during the training.

The exercise provided an opportunity to assess the students’ understanding of their industrial experiences and their ability to relate practical workplace exposure to their respective fields of study.

Observations from the exercise indicated that the students generally demonstrated a good understanding of their industrial training. Most technical reports and logbooks were properly documented and signed, while the students displayed improved confidence and presentation skills. However, a few encountered challenges with time management during their presentations.

Speaking on the significance of the exercise, Dr Akinmerese advised the students to use the practical knowledge gained and the gaps identified during their industrial training as a guide in developing relevant, industry-oriented final-year project topics.

He emphasised the importance of connecting academic research with practical challenges and industry needs, encouraging students to develop projects that reflect real-world problems and contribute to their respective fields.