The President of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), Professor Clement K. Dzidonu, has called for a fundamental rethink of education and professional development, warning that university graduation can no longer mark the end of learning in the age of artificial intelligence.
Dzidonu is advocating what he calls the “Sovereign Triple-L” — the Sovereign Lifelong Learner, a mindset in which individuals take personal responsibility for continuously renewing and expanding their skills, knowledge and capabilities throughout their careers.
He said the traditional model of acquiring knowledge at university, graduating and relying on that knowledge throughout a career is becoming increasingly unsustainable as AI and emerging technologies rapidly transform the workplace.
“You went to university. You acquired knowledge. You graduated. You entered a profession. And for many years, much of what you had learned remained relevant. That world is disappearing,” he said.
According to him, a degree remains valuable as recognition of what an individual has achieved at a particular point in time, but it cannot guarantee that those capabilities will remain relevant throughout a changing career.
“Graduation should not be the end of the learning journey. It should be the beginning of a new one,” Dzidonu said.
Dzidonu describes an individual’s Skills, Expertise, Experience, Knowledge and Know-how (SEEK) as the foundation of professional capability.
He uses the term “SEEK-Gap” to describe the widening gap between what people currently know and can do and the capabilities increasingly required to remain relevant.
His warning is summed up in the phrase: “The more you know, the less you know.”
He explained that the statement reflects the rapid expansion of knowledge, technology and professional expectations rather than a reduction in what individuals already know.
The challenge, he said, is to continually convert evolving SEEK into professional capabilities that enable people to solve problems, exercise judgement, innovate, adapt and lead.
The AIT President also urged professionals to move beyond viewing AI simply as a threat to existing jobs and skills.
Instead, he said, people should learn to use AI alongside experience, reflection and continuous education to extend human capabilities.
“The more useful question is not merely, ‘Will AI make what I learned obsolete?’ It is: ‘How will I use AI, technology, experience, reflection and continuous learning to keep renewing what I know and what I am capable of doing?’”
He stressed that embracing AI should not mean surrendering human judgement.
Professionals must continue to develop independent thinking, creativity, decision-making and the ability to learn while using AI responsibly.
Central to Dzidonu’s philosophy is the Opportunity–Possibility–Difference (OPD) Perspective, which he presents as a framework for lifelong learning.
The first step is to see the opportunity in change, disruption, new technologies, challenges and even mistakes.
The second is to explore the possibility by identifying the skills, knowledge, experience and capabilities that can be developed from those opportunities.
The final step is to create the difference by converting learning and capability into value for individuals, organisations and society.
Dzidonu said the Sovereign Triple-L therefore goes beyond accumulating degrees and certificates. It is about taking ownership of continuous learning and transforming knowledge into meaningful impact.
The philosophy, he said, is increasingly relevant to students, professionals, entrepreneurs, educators and business leaders.