Academics, researchers and students from African and European universities have called for sustainability to be embedded across computer science and software engineering curricula, warning that treating it as an optional subject leaves graduates ill-equipped to develop environmentally responsible digital technologies.

The call was made at the third edition of the Green and Sustainable Software Engineering Summer School hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and organised by the African Engineering and Technology Network (AFRETEC). The five-day programme, which began on Monday, 22 June will end on Friday, 26 June.

The summer school brought together students, lecturers and software engineers from Nigeria and other countries to examine how software systems can be designed, deployed and maintained with lower energy consumption and reduced environmental impact. 

Organisers of the event said the programme reflects a growing recognition that software development has consequences for resource consumption and climate goals.

Sustainable computing, AI and industry collaboration 

Speaking at the opening of the summer school, the Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, Folasade Ogunsola, a professor of Medical Microbiology, said the summer school will examine how software can be built responsibly, noting that every software application and artificial intelligence model relies on real energy and resources. 

According to Mrs Ogunsola who was represented by the Director of Global Engagement and Strategic Partnerships at UNILAG, Abimbola Sowemimo, a professor of pharmacognosy, participants at the five-day programme would be introduced to the core principles of green software engineering, sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, alongside practical sessions on building energy-efficient applications. 

The Head of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Chika Yinka-Banjo, a professor, welcomed participants, noting that computing has become central to learning, everyday life, and communication.

She stressed the need to sustain the environment while building smart systems.

“That is where research has moved to, from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where we got technology working for us and aiding us, to the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which focuses on how to sustain what we have built. That is why this training is apt at this time.”

Vision for sustainable digital growth 

The AFRETEC Network Coordinator at UNILAG, Ismail Ibraheem, a professor of Journalism and Communication Studies, said the Green Software Summer School is supported by AFRETEC in partnership with the Software Engineering Consortium and brings together students and facilitators from Africa, Europe, Asia and South America.

He explained that AFRETEC is a network of 10 African universities using technology to address critical development challenges across the continent, with the overarching goal of ensuring that technology serves society. The network is supported by the Mastercard Foundation, while Carnegie Mellon University Africa in Kigali coordinates its activities.

According to him, AFRETEC’s partner institutions are spread across North, South, East, West and Central Africa, with its newest member located in Ethiopia. He noted that the network’s activities are guided by four pillars: knowledge creation and research, digital learning, societal and business impact; and inclusion and diversity.

Summer school strengthens academia-industry collaboration 

The Head of the Department of Cybersecurity and Software Engineering, Nureni Azeez, an associate professor of Cybersecurity, said the summer school provides a platform for researchers from different countries to collaborate on solutions to software development challenges while fostering stronger ties between academia and industry.

He stressed that no nation can achieve meaningful development without prioritising technology and ensuring access to the resources needed to drive innovation. He disclosed that the department is pursuing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the connection between software development training and industry engagement.

According to him, the programme creates opportunities for partnerships with universities in the United Kingdom, the United States and across Africa, enabling knowledge exchange and international collaboration.

Software architecture key to sustainable engineering 

A facilitator at the summer school, Collins Venter, a Research Software Engineer at the University of Limerick, Ireland, described software architecture as the foundation of sustainable software engineering. 

He noted that software powers nearly every aspect of modern life, from household appliances and vehicles to banking systems, adding that modern technologies contain millions of lines of code that continue to grow in scale and complexity. Complexity, he said becomes problematic when software systems are difficult to modify, understand or maintain. 

According to him, software becomes complicated when changes in one area trigger unexpected effects elsewhere, when developers must understand an entire code base to make a single change, or when it is unclear where modifications should be made.

Mr Venter said these challenges are compounded by the rapid evolution of hardware, which often outpaces the software designed to run on it. He noted that software requirements constantly evolve, with about 70 per cent changing over time, making maintenance and updates far more costly than the initial development process.

He stressed that software systems extend beyond code and include the relationships between user-facing interfaces, backend processes and the components that connect them. While acknowledging the growing role of artificial intelligence in software development, he emphasised that engineers must still understand the fundamental principles of system design and software architecture.

Warning against overreliance on AI-generated code, a practice sometimes called “vibe coding,” Mr Venter said it could contribute to a software crisis within the next few years if developers fail to understand the logic behind the code they produce. He advocated teaching students to use AI responsibly alongside core software engineering skills, including prompt engineering, to prepare them for the future of software development.

Sustainability skills essential for future computing professionals 

A professor at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and an adjunct professor at LUT University, Finland, Birgit Penzenstadler highlighted the importance of integrating sustainability into computing education. She referenced the planetary boundaries framework, which outlines the environmental limits necessary to maintain a safe operating space for humanity.

She noted that sustainability is often taught as a standalone optional course in computing programmes, rather than being embedded throughout the curriculum. According to her, integrating sustainability concepts across all courses better equips students to apply them in their professional careers.

Drawing on an industry study conducted in Europe, Ms Penzenstadler said many companies seek graduates with sustainability competencies but struggle to find them because such skills are rarely taught comprehensively in degree programmes.

She revealed that the previous edition of the summer school in Nigeria introduced the Sustainability Awareness Framework and that the initiative has since evolved into the development of a Software Engineering for Green Deal Master’s programme at UNILAG, which is expected to admit its first cohort next year.

On artificial intelligence, she urged developers to draw inspiration from Nigerian development leaders and local realities rather than relying solely on European examples. She also argued that Africa has an opportunity to develop smaller, specialised AI language models tailored to local needs instead of depending heavily on resource-intensive large language models.

Equipping innovators for sustainable digital growth

Speaking in an interview, Ipinnimo Oluwafemi of the Department of Systems Engineering at UNILAG and co-convener of the summer school, said the programme has produced entrepreneurs and innovators who are contributing to economic development through technology-driven solutions.

He noted that the training also raises awareness about the environmental impact of software and digital devices, including the growing challenge of electronic waste. According to him, participants gain a better understanding of sustainable technology practices and responsible disposal of devices such as phones and laptops.

Also speaking, Adewole Rufai, an Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Software Engineering at UNILAG, said the summer school focuses on designing software products that minimise carbon footprints and encourage developers to consider the environmental consequences of their work. 

This, he said, includes promoting carbon-aware practices, such as using cloud infrastructure powered by renewable energy. He added that the programme seeks to embed sustainability principles into software engineering education and practice. Mr Rufai said the initiative aligns with AFRETEC’s broader mission of helping African universities meet global standards through collaboration.

Students learn to build software for the future 

A 300-level Mechatronics Engineering student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Olajire Michael, said the sessions helped her connect software engineering with sustainability principles she had been exposed to throughout her years of study.

She said the training reshaped her approach to software development, encouraging her to think beyond immediate users and consider how systems can remain useful and relevant to people many years into the future.

Similarly, a 500-level Biomedical Engineering student at UNILAG, Precious Jacob, said one of his key takeaways from the programme was the importance of establishing a clear system architecture and design plan before writing code.

He added that the sessions deepened his understanding of sustainability, explaining that sustainable software is not merely designed to meet present needs but to remain functional, adaptable and valuable over the long term.