FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE, SMART CAMPUS INITIATIVE
Introduction
It is no doubt that advancement of Information Technology beneficially revolutionized business practices and strategies of entire industries and the educational system at large. Institutions around the world are investing considerable amount of resources in creating Information Technology framework that meet their operational needs as a needful replacement to traditional manual operations.
Prior to the coming onboard of our current Rector, Incorporating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the educational and administrative system of this Polytechnic has however been relatively slow thereby limiting the full utilization of the opportunities it offers.
On assumption of office as the substantive Rector of this institution Rev Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa made his vision on ICT clear making the Federal Polytechnic Nekede community to embrace ICT as a means to creativity and development. His objective, therefore, is not to introduce ICT in the Polytechnic only, but to ensure that all its prospects and trends are fully exploited and incorporated into all academic and non-academic activities of the Polytechnic.
The ICT VISION of the Rector is dubbed the FPNO SMART CAMPUS which is an effective management solution designed to manage all the institution’s constituents from students’ academic and non-academic activities to management by both academic and non-academic staff.
The FPNO SMART CAMPUS PORTAL is an effective management solution designed by GTCO CALSCAN NIG. Ltd. to manage all the institution’s constituents. SMART CAMPUS provides the framework that meets needs as replacement to traditional manual operations, thus it automates processes, reduces operational costs, and increase efficiencies by continually defining and leveraging industry best practices thereby improving return on investments while eliminating fraud at basic level.
Current Status of the SMART CAMPUS in the School
Smart Campus has successfully digitalized the school manual operations from Registration of students to the point of convocation leaving no stone unturned. Smart Campus has delivered the following:
ERP Solution
This is the all-inclusive, duly customized and interactive solution which provides an online gateway through which applicants/prospective students are currently been managed. It has provided an avenue for seamless exchange of information about the Polytechnic proceedings easily without the limitations of time and place.
All Round Internet Access
The smart Campus project has brought about the availability of 155MBPS MTN Nigeria fiber internet services to the institution. This has provided every section of the school with internet.
IP Surveillance Cameras
There has been deployment of a “Campus Wide Video Surveillance/Monitoring System”. The deployed solution will help improve security for Staff, Students and Property on Campus premises. The Cameras are in strategic section of the Polytechnic as shown in the next page of this document.
Mobile Application
A functional mobile application has been deployed to help students carry on with the school activities while on the go. It also provides a platform (Andriod/IOS) to ERP portal resources for staff, Admin and Visitors
The Next Stage for the Smart Campus Initiative.
The Smart Campus is here to stay and like any other working solution it is adaptive, and shall continue to change to suit the needs of the school. In line with this, the next stage of the smart campus solution shall involve the following:
ERP Software: An Enterprise resource planning system for the library has been deployed to be used to track items owned, orders made, bills paid, and students who have borrowed from the Library, and it can be accessed from any location.
Fiber Optics Network: Internet providers are constantly facing challenges in providing internet to their subscribers. Hence, we are deploying a backup MTN 155mbps internet service to handle any downtime that may be experienced on either network.
FPNO Portal: Each building in the school will be mapped to the school portal to assist new students, and visitors navigating the school.
Webometrics Ranking: We have commenced build up towards ensuring that we meet up the criteria for the ranking, we had trained and will continue to train lecturers who are key to our achieving success in the ranking.
Staff Biometric ID: We shall commence the delivering of smart I.D Card for students which will enable us track and authentic them at any point the identity is in doubt or in a medical emergency where the medical record of