McPherson University Registrar Advocates Digital Transformation at ARNU Workshop

The Registrar of McPherson University (McU), Mrs. Emi Alawode, has joined registrars from federal, state and private universities across Nigeria at the 4th Annual Workshop and 79th Business Meeting of the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU), where participants examined strategies for advancing digital governance and institutional reforms in higher education.

The workshop, held from July 6 to 11, 2026, at the National Universities Commission (NUC) Headquarters in Abuja, was themed "Nigerian Universities in the Era of Technological Transformation: Challenges, Opportunities and Pathways to Sustainable Growth."

The event focused on emerging issues in technology-driven university administration, governance and institutional development, while equipping participants with practical strategies to improve administrative efficiency, service delivery and institutional competitiveness.

Participants explored current trends in digital university administration through presentations on the deployment of technology to enhance institutional governance, records management, service delivery and global competitiveness. Discussions also addressed university funding and autonomy, data protection and cybersecurity, performance management, and the strategic role of registrars in supporting vice-chancellors to achieve institutional goals in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.

Reflecting on the workshop, Mrs. Alawode identified the need to accelerate digital transformation within registry operations as one of the key lessons from the programme. She stressed the importance of strengthening records management, adopting digital technologies to improve administrative efficiency and ensuring compliance with the Nigerian Data Protection Act and other relevant regulatory requirements.

According to her, these measures would enhance transparency, operational efficiency and service delivery across university administration.

She also highlighted continuous capacity development as essential to equipping administrative personnel with emerging technological skills and contemporary professional knowledge. Mrs. Alawode described the workshop as an important platform for networking, peer learning and the exchange of best practices among registrars and senior university administrators, fostering collaboration in addressing common challenges within the Nigerian University System.

The Registrar expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor of McPherson University, Professor Francis Adegbaye Igbasan, for approving her participation in the workshop. She noted that the knowledge, experience and professional relationships gained would strengthen her contributions to the University's drive for administrative excellence, digital transformation and effective governance.

Mrs. Alawode reaffirmed McPherson University's commitment to adopting global best practices in university administration, adding that the insights gained from the workshop would support ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency, strengthen institutional governance and advance the University's vision of producing people of excellence and integrity for service.