Data Scientists Network/DSNai (previously known as Data Science Nigeria), a leading Artificial Intelligence research, learning, consulting and solution delivery network in Africa, has officially announced its upcoming 2023 annual Artificial Intelligence (AI) bootcamp.
The Bootcamp will be hosted by Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria. The event will bring together Artificial Intelligence (AI) enthusiasts, experts, and stakeholders from across Africa after a six-month learning period which will culminate in a one-week intense and all-expenses-paid bootcamp.
Now in its 7th edition, the AI bootcamp, has been held since 2017 and has become the ultimate talent pipeline for leading global organizations and a massive awareness platform for many young Africans. The 2023 pre-selection learning sessions will run across the 36 states in Nigeria and 13 African countries. The bootcamp and its extended prequalification cycle are designed to equip participants with practical skills and knowledge to make meaningful contributions to the development and adoption of AI in Africa.
The 2023 DSN AI bootcamp will comprise three stages. First is the free introductory Artificial Intelligence/Data Science classes, which will be held in over 150 cities in 36 states of Nigeria and in 13 African countries from March 20th to April 22nd. Next is a 50-day online AI Bootcamp pre-learning study that will run from April 15th to June 3rd.
The final stage will be the DSN AI bootcamp qualification hackathon to build analytical models from June 5th to June 26th, where the top 500 participants will be selected to attend the AI bootcamp event.
The 2023 bootcamp will feature over 30 world-class tutors, six learning streams, 40+ hours of learning, research poster presentations, job showcase, and several award categories, including Miss Algorithm and Mr. Algorithm awards, the Best Female Data Scientist award, the Best Poster Award, and the AI School of the Year award.
The annual award of the DSN AI School of the year is awarded to the school with the highest number of participants who qualified for the bootcamp and is rewarded with Artificial Intelligence books worth 1 million Naira, and these books are publicly donated to the school’s library. These donations aim to build consistency and improve AI knowledge among the communities. Some of the past winners of DSN AI School of the year award include the DSN learning clubs in the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Ibadan.
To ensure that the AI bootcamp is accessible to all participants irrespective of their background, DSN has arranged the bootcamp to be fully free, including accommodation, feeding, learning materials, and travel incentives for all the AI Bootcamp’s top 500 selected participants.
As part of the preparation for the 2023 edition, the management of DSN paid a courtesy visit to the management of the Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria as the host campus of the 2023 edition.
The DSN team was warmly received by the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Covenant University, Professor Abiodun Humphrey Adebayo and his senior leadership team. The VC affirmed the institution’s commitment for strategic partnership that will reinforce the established leadership of the Covenant University, which is the only Nigerian institution in many global rankings including the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking. Other members of the Covenant University leadership in the meeting include the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olujide Adekeye; Acting Registrar, Mrs. Regina Tobi-David; Director, Financial Services, Pastor Olugbenga Kiki; Dean, College of Science and Technology, Professor Timothy Anake; Director, Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Professor Omotayo Osibanjo; Head, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Professor Funke Oladipupo; and Director, Centre for Systems and Information Services, Engr. Boladele Akanle.
The AI Bootcamp has become a reputable event in the African AI community, providing a platform for learning, networking, job creation and innovation. Organizations that have recruited from or partnered with the bootcamp include Google, Microsoft, Access bank, KPMG, Axa Mansard, FCMB, GRID 3, Retina AI, Terragon, Bluechip, and Roche.
DSN is committed to building a strong AI ecosystem in Africa, and the AI Bootcamp is one of the initiatives it has undertaken to achieve this goal.
The full details of the 6-month-long learning is available here.
DSN past AI Bootcamps have been supported by leading global organizations like Microsoft, Softcom, KPMG, BigML, Retina-AI, Bluechip Technologies, Axa Mansard, Proshare Foundation, Virtual Chair, Interswitch, Diamond Bank, OneFi, L5Lab, Keoun.ng, ProShare Nigeria, Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, DataCamp, BusinessDay, CFATech.ng, BrandCrunch and the Machine Intelligence Institute of Africa.
DSN is a high-impact capacity building social enterprise that has been in the forefront of homegrown digital skill development in Africa, having provided learning opportunities to over 500,000 learners through its extensive face-to-face, online, hybrid, project-based and job participation interventions across all the states in Nigeria and 13 African countries.
DSN is driven by a vision to raise 1 million Artificial Intelligence talents who are empowered to build local solutions that will improve the quality of life of over 2 billion people in the emerging market. In 2021, DSN made global news when two of its homegrown products were listed in the Global Top 100 list of Artificial Intelligence (AI) products for social impact by the International Research Centre in Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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