UEE Akamkpa Advances Smart Campus Vision with EI and AI Training for Workplace Efficiency and Higher Productivity
In a decisive stride toward digital transformation and institutional excellence, the University of Education and Entrepreneurship (UEE), Akamkpa, has intensified its drive to become a Smart Campus by hosting a high-level capacity development training themed, "Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Workplace Efficiency and Higher Productivity."
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In a decisive stride toward digital transformation and institutional excellence, the University of Education and Entrepreneurship (UEE), Akamkpa, has intensified its drive to become a Smart Campus by hosting a high-level capacity development training themed, "Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Workplace Efficiency and Higher Productivity."
The training brought together academic and non-teaching staff, emphasizing the University’s commitment to global best practices where AI enhances cognitive processes, administrative efficiency, teaching delivery, and research productivity.
Addressing participants, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Patrick N. Asuquo, described the initiative as central to UEE’s vision of a Smart Campus characterized by smart digital tools and smart scholars. He emphasized that the transformation agenda relies on continuous human capital development through structured staff training.
“AI has come to stay. Institutions across the globe have embraced it to strengthen efficiency and productivity. UEE must not be left behind. What we seek is responsible adoption, compliance, and ethical application of AI tools in our daily operations,” he stated.
Prof. Asuquo clarified that the University’s focus is on practical applications of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Kimi, and Easemate to support staff productivity, improve service delivery, and ensure ethical usage. He cited global AI compliance efforts, including Rwanda, urging staff to leverage the training to acquire essential digital skills for institutional growth and competitiveness.
The facilitators, Augustine Ogbaji Otobi, AI Engineer and Computer Scientist, and AI expert Bassey Archibong, delivered hands-on sessions demonstrating AI as a catalyst for workplace efficiency. Participants were guided on practical AI applications for:
- Administrative functions: memos, scheduling, minute-taking, documentation, institutional communication.
- Teaching support: course outlines, PowerPoint slides, CBT/MCQ questions, essay questions, quizzes, case studies, grading rubrics.
- Research productivity: paper summarization, identification of research gaps, writing improvement, data interpretation.
Facilitators highlighted that AI, when driven by accurate and intentional prompts, unlocks innovative solutions to workplace challenges. Ethical considerations including academic integrity, transparency, fairness, accountability, and data privacy protection were also emphasized.
Complementing the AI sessions, Dr. Imoke Etorti, Director, Centre for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE), delivered a session on Emotional Intelligence (EI). He defined EI as the ability to identify, understand, and manage one’s own emotions and those of others, subjecting emotion to rational judgment.
Dr. Etorti outlined the core components of EI: Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Self-motivation, and Social skills, noting that frequent emotional outbursts, persistent arguments, habitual blame-shifting, difficulty listening, and strained relationships indicate low EI. He identified common workplace triggers in university settings, such as work overload, miscommunication, gossip, salary delays, academic pressure, inadequate staffing, and role ambiguity.
He stressed that EI is indispensable in higher education because it:
- Strengthens staff-to-staff and staff-to-student relationships
- Reduces workplace conflicts
- Enhances communication and administrative efficiency
- Builds positive institutional culture
- Improves leadership effectiveness
- Prevents burnout and supports stress management
Practical sessions enabled participants to actively engage with AI tools and examine real-life workplace scenarios relating to self-awareness, emotional regulation, and relationship management. A robust Q&A segment allowed participants to explore concerns around AI integration and EI application.
In closing, Registrar Amb. Dr. Gabriel Egbe commended facilitators and participants for their engagement, describing the training as transformative and aligned with the University’s digital roadmap. He emphasized that the journey toward a Smart Campus is continuous and encouraged departments to cascade the knowledge gained, reinforcing UEE’s commitment to innovation.
Principal officers, including the Registrar, Librarian, Bursar Representative, Director of Academic Planning, Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments, Student Union Government, and members of the UEE Network Press, attended, underscoring collective ownership of the transformation agenda.
The training reinforced a clear message: the future of higher education belongs to institutions that harmonize Artificial Intelligence with human wisdom. UEE Akamkpa has signaled its readiness to operate at the intersection where innovation meets integrity, and productivity is powered by both code and character.
