Professor Tanko Ishaya
Chief Host
Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos
Biography
Professor Tanko Ishaya is a Professor of Computer Science with specialism and experience in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, eHealth, Security & Trustworthy Computing, Forensics and Cyber Security. He has over thirty (30) years of hands-on professional and technical experience and competence in enterprise Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and systems design, development and management. An accomplished international academic with a proven track record of scholarship and academic management. He has a BSc in Mathematics/Edu from the University of Jos, Nigeria and both his MSc and PhD in Computation from the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK in 1997 and 2001 respectively. He is an international scholar and researcher who has demonstrated excellent management and leadership abilities.
Professor Ishaya worked as Information Technology Consultant with GFA Consulting and Business Link, Merseyside, Liverpool, UK from 1997 to 1999. He joined the University of Hull, UK from October 2000 as a Lecturer and was Head of the Centre for Internet Computing of the University. In 2001, He attracted and successfully supervised an MSc by Research in Internet Computing (Measuring and Improving the Quality of Customer Date for Effective CRM Systems) on an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. He was a UK Knowledge-Base Consultant to British Council on an African Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AKTP) project. As ICT Consultant to the University of Jos, He contributed to the successful implementation of the 3-year Jos-Carnegie 2nd Tranche Partnership grant and contributed to the development of a further 3-year 3rd Tranche Partnership Proposal that led to the approval of the sum of $1.5 million to the University and contributed to its effective implementation.
He returned to Nigeria on request in 2012 and doubled as Director ICT and pioneer Head of Computer Science Department at the University of Jos. He was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and currently the ViceChancellor, University of Jos, Nigeria providing academic leadership that promotes a culture of excellence, innovation and enterprise. He was recently appointed as the Alternate Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities. He has successfully executed a number of national and internationally funded Research Projects as Principal Investigator (PI) and coinvestigator and has supervised to successful completion five (5) PhD students, four (4) MSc students by Research and over 50 taught MScs dissertations in a variety of areas of computing in the UK. He is currently supervising PhD and postgraduate projects in the area of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. He has secured over Three Million US Dollar ($3 Million) in competitive funding grants. His teaching and research in the field computer science has supported, influenced and contributed to key areas of government policy nationally and globally. He has published scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences and has attended numerous professional and technical training programmes home and abroad. His current funded research and development is on the integration and deployment of space technology, artificial intelligence and data science to improve the quality of lives in areas such as surveillance systems. He is a reviewer for many journals and conferences including the IEEE Journal of Computers & Security and funding bodies.
Tanko has served in many committees and advisory boards including being Chairman, Committee of Directors of ICT (ComDICT) in Nigerian Universities, Member of Education and Manpower Development Committee of Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) 2015-2017, A co-host an African Translational Research Group (ATReG). A Member of the TETFund Technical Advisory Group, and a member of the French Government Funded Nigeria–France Adaptation to Climate Change Research Group. He is currently a Member of the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee charged with the responsibility of evaluating all national research proposals and continuous evaluation of the projects through monitoring mechanisms. He is also an evaluator on the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) development projects. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Computer Society and is professional member of a number of professional bodies and associations, including Fellow British Computer Society (BCS), Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Association of Forensic Professional of Nigeria (AFPON), Academy of Natural Science and Engineering in Nigeria(ANSEN), Chartered Member Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Computer Forensics Institute (CFIN), Professional Member Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Academy of Computing Machinery (ACM), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
He is a certified IT practitioner, agile project manager, cybersecurity analyst forensic examiner and a recognised expert witness in fingerprint and handwriting examination.
Professor Ishaya is happily married are blessed with children.
Professor Ishaya worked as Information Technology Consultant with GFA Consulting and Business Link, Merseyside, Liverpool, UK from 1997 to 1999. He joined the University of Hull, UK from October 2000 as a Lecturer and was Head of the Centre for Internet Computing of the University. In 2001, He attracted and successfully supervised an MSc by Research in Internet Computing (Measuring and Improving the Quality of Customer Date for Effective CRM Systems) on an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. He was a UK Knowledge-Base Consultant to British Council on an African Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AKTP) project. As ICT Consultant to the University of Jos, He contributed to the successful implementation of the 3-year Jos-Carnegie 2nd Tranche Partnership grant and contributed to the development of a further 3-year 3rd Tranche Partnership Proposal that led to the approval of the sum of $1.5 million to the University and contributed to its effective implementation.
He returned to Nigeria on request in 2012 and doubled as Director ICT and pioneer Head of Computer Science Department at the University of Jos. He was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and currently the ViceChancellor, University of Jos, Nigeria providing academic leadership that promotes a culture of excellence, innovation and enterprise. He was recently appointed as the Alternate Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities. He has successfully executed a number of national and internationally funded Research Projects as Principal Investigator (PI) and coinvestigator and has supervised to successful completion five (5) PhD students, four (4) MSc students by Research and over 50 taught MScs dissertations in a variety of areas of computing in the UK. He is currently supervising PhD and postgraduate projects in the area of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. He has secured over Three Million US Dollar ($3 Million) in competitive funding grants. His teaching and research in the field computer science has supported, influenced and contributed to key areas of government policy nationally and globally. He has published scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences and has attended numerous professional and technical training programmes home and abroad. His current funded research and development is on the integration and deployment of space technology, artificial intelligence and data science to improve the quality of lives in areas such as surveillance systems. He is a reviewer for many journals and conferences including the IEEE Journal of Computers & Security and funding bodies.
Tanko has served in many committees and advisory boards including being Chairman, Committee of Directors of ICT (ComDICT) in Nigerian Universities, Member of Education and Manpower Development Committee of Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) 2015-2017, A co-host an African Translational Research Group (ATReG). A Member of the TETFund Technical Advisory Group, and a member of the French Government Funded Nigeria–France Adaptation to Climate Change Research Group. He is currently a Member of the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee charged with the responsibility of evaluating all national research proposals and continuous evaluation of the projects through monitoring mechanisms. He is also an evaluator on the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) development projects. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Computer Society and is professional member of a number of professional bodies and associations, including Fellow British Computer Society (BCS), Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Association of Forensic Professional of Nigeria (AFPON), Academy of Natural Science and Engineering in Nigeria(ANSEN), Chartered Member Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Computer Forensics Institute (CFIN), Professional Member Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Academy of Computing Machinery (ACM), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
He is a certified IT practitioner, agile project manager, cybersecurity analyst forensic examiner and a recognised expert witness in fingerprint and handwriting examination.
Professor Ishaya is happily married are blessed with children.