Avinash Meetoo

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Going Global Africa 2024 conference in Abuja, Nigeria

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I am thrilled to be in Abuja, the vibrant capital of Nigeria, to participate in the Going Global Africa 2024 conference, focusing on the critical theme of The Future of Education in the African Continent. This event, organised by the British Council of Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria, runs from 26 to 28 November 2024.

This pan-African education conference will delve into vital topics, including both North-South and South-South partnerships. We will discuss Jobs of the Future for our youth, emphasising the importance of upskilling and reskilling the current workforce. Bridging the gap between education and industry is a priority, alongside addressing the persistent gender gap. As we advance, we must champion soft skills such as leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation, while fostering inclusion and ensuring no one is left behind. A key aspect of the conversation will be adapting curricula to incorporate local knowledge, tackle the real challenges, and nurture creativity and problem-solving skills.

I am particularly honoured to be a panelist in a session focused on how technology and innovation serve as powerful catalysts for modernising nations. The discussion will highlight how technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and the micro-credential system are important for developing the skilled technicians required in modern African economies, including Mauritius. Esteemed panelists from across Africa will enrich this dialogue with their insights and experiences.

#GoingGlobalAfrica #GGAfrica24

Mental Health in the Digital Age at Middlesex University

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On Friday 8 November, I participated in a panel on “Mental Health in the Digital Age” organised by Middlesex University Mauritius.

During the session, we had the opportunity to discuss about ways to benefit from technology, especially social media and Artificial Intelligence tools, while ensuring that one remains mentally sound. It was a challenging panel for me as I am not a psychologist but, based on my experience of being a power user and an early adopter, I conveyed to the audience the need to always remain in power and to understand that a tool is not an end in itself.

I urged the young people in the audience to have long-term, medium-term and short-term plans and, if needed, to use technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to achieve their objectives. In particular, I touched upon the creation of “second brains” which is important for knowledge workers and I also spoke about getting things done using task management and time management tools.

At the end, we had an interesting Q&A session with the audience. I would like to thank the organisers from Middlesex University Mauritius, Emma, the well-being intern who moderated the panel very well as well as my fellow panelists: Alla Kozyreva, Guillaume Thierry, James van der Westhuizen, Jeremy Yan Shi Cheung, Mohamed Es Fih, Sanjana Gobin-Rambhojun and Yann Andrew Seewoochurn.

Participating in a panel on progress through AI and sustainability during the NEXTGEN conference

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On Friday 25 October, I was one of the speakers during a high-level panel on “Technology 5.0” during the NEXTGEN AI-Infused Era Conference organised by Chee-Peng Tan and his Team Synthesis staff.

The conversation was on how to harness Innovation, Technology and Artificial Intelligence for progress while making sure that the environment is preserved by having a clear sustainability agenda but also ensuring the wellbeing of all. This is what some people refer to as Society 6.0.

I spoke about how AI will shape our future, how Mixed Reality will become a business imperative (in order to have more and more data-driven decision making) and how robots will become our peers (which is especially important for a country like Mauritius with its aging population). But I also made people understand that most technology projects fail because end-users are rarely consulted during the development process and, as a result, the real problems are not solved.

It is therefore important to use technology as an enabler, not as an end in itself. It is also important to make sure that the fundamentals are right before trying to use AI as a solution. Of course, I mentioned that innovation, technology and AI can make Africa leapfrog other continents if its young population is properly trained for the jobs of the future.

Shateeaum Sewpaul, the moderator, masterfully made sure that the panel discussion was as fluid as possible. My fellow panel members were Sameera Chattun Koyratty, Marc Israel, Eshan Amiran Ashvin Pudaruth, Andre Hoffmann and Zainol Zainuddin. At the end, we had an interesting Q&A session with the audience.