UNILAG director urges universities to fully digitize workflows

Dr. Taiwo Ipaye, Director of the University of Lagos's Office of Advancement, is calling for Nigerian universities to fully digitize their administrative workflows. She warns that institutions resisting this digital transformation risk becoming inefficient and obsolete in the modern era.

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This is the age of digital disruption and machine learning with the use of Artificial Intelligence in virtually every area of our operations. The registry workforce cannot afford to be left behind. We must rethink our roles, reposition capacity and build for future readiness.

Speaking at Trinity University's Registry Discourse, Ipaye emphasized that the age of paper-based administration is rapidly ending. She urged university registries to reposition themselves from mere support units to active drivers of institutional excellence. This requires embracing technology-driven systems, including artificial intelligence and machine learning.

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The characteristics of future-ready registry systems include fully digitised workflows, integrated and centralised data systems, use of AI and automation in decision-making processes.

"The registry workforce must build future readiness," Ipaye stated. She outlined characteristics of future-ready registry systems, such as fully digitized workflows, integrated data systems, and the use of AI and automation in decision-making. She noted that routine tasks like filing and data entry are increasingly automated, shifting the demand towards competencies in data management, digital systems administration, and system oversight.

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The implication is clear: organisations that fail to adapt risk inefficiency, redundancy and eventual obsolescence.

Ipaye pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as proof that universities can adapt quickly to digital technologies, with virtual platforms becoming permanent fixtures. She also urged the National Assembly and the National Universities Commission to embrace digitization in their document requests, moving away from demanding large volumes of photocopies. The director stressed the imperative for prioritizing staff development and training with dedicated budgets to facilitate this transition.

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The pandemic showed us that universities, and their administrative backbone – the registry – can change rapidly when exigency demands it. The future is already here with us.