Universities urged to equip graduates for AI-driven labour market
The call was made on Monday (September 28) as staff at Victoria University underwent training on the use of AI tools to support academic work and enhance learning. The training focused on the effective use of tools including Gemini, ChatGPT, Notebook and Grok, among others.
Tim Abels, the Founder of Africa Community Aid (ACAID)(L), alongside Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Muganga(R), addressing staff during the training on AI at the university auditorium. (Credit: Derrick Muduku)
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Universities have been urged to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into academic engagements to better prepare students for an increasingly AI-enabled labour market.
The call was made on Monday (September 28) as staff at Victoria University underwent training on the use of AI tools to support academic work and enhance learning. The training focused on the effective use of tools including Gemini, ChatGPT, Notebook and Grok, among others.
The training is part of the university's efforts to strengthen staff capacity and integrate AI into its daily academic and institutional operations rather than treating it as an isolated technology.
Speaking at the university auditorium, Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Muganga said universities needed to ensure that graduates acquire the skills required to operate in a labour market increasingly influenced by AI.
A cross-section of Victoria University staff during training on the use of AI tools to support academic work and enhance learning. (Credit: Victoria University)
Muganga said strengthening staff capacity in AI would ultimately benefit students by enabling the university to produce graduates who are better prepared for workplaces where AI is increasingly being used.
He said the institution's focus was not simply on introducing AI tools, but on building the capacity needed to integrate them into everyday academic and institutional activities.
Bill Nkeeto, the academic registrar of Victoria University, said the rapid development of AI technology was making continuous learning increasingly important for university staff.
He noted that the pace at which AI is evolving could make it difficult for staff to keep up without regular training and deliberate efforts to update their knowledge and skills.
“We encourage ourselves to be constantly updated. The pace of AI can easily go ahead of one if they are not intentional about learning every day,” he said.
Nkeeto said the university's introduction of an AI-driven learning management system was another step towards increasing the use of AI in its academic operations.
He expressed optimism that the university would become fully AI-led, citing favourable internet access across the institution as an enabler of the transition.