Appraising Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of Built Environment Programmes

Abstract

In the era of digitalisation, the construction industry is fast embracing digital technology, which evolved from Industry 4.0 (fourth industrial revolution [4IR]). Built environment programmes (BEPs) are expected to meet the needs of the digitalisation era via Education 4.0. Education 4.0 aims to transform education’s future with diverse digital automation and innovative paedagogical procedures. Studies concerning Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs are scarce. Hence, this study aims to appraise Education 4.0 and investigate the perceived issues facing implementing Education 4.0 in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), using BEPs as a case study. The findings intend to improve Education 4.0 implementation practices in BEPs. Data were sourced from 40 participants across Nigeria for better coverage and representation via a semi-structured interview approach. The participants were knowledgeable about Education 4.0 and Nigeria’s BEPs. This study adopted a thematic analysis of the virtually collected data and presented the findings in themes. This study shows that Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s BEPs is lax and should be overhauled to improve achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4)—quality education—and other related SDGs. The findings reveal that improved Education 4.0 can enhance the achievement of SDG 4. The findings cluster the perceived 18 hindrances facing Education 4.0 implementation into three main groups. Also, the findings proffer feasible measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s HEIs, using BEPs as a case study, via improved transformative competencies, technological advancement, innovative paedagogical procedures, and stakeholders’ collaboration to improve achieving SDG 4. The proposed framework could assist in creating new values and transforming the students’ BEP competencies via stakeholder collaboration and Education 4.0 for the private sector (future talents’ beneficiary), thus fostering their employability.

1. Introduction

Infrastructure is a critical factor that enhances economic development, supports human capabilities, and provides essential services if well executed with sustainability attributes [1]. This includes telecommunications, transport, dams, waste management, water, housing, and energy. The construction industry has the mandate to provide the infrastructure. Ebekozien et al. [2,3] avowed that the construction industry is majorly responsible for constructing these amenities, which form the backbone of many other sectors. Project delivery requires expertise and training in digitalisation and smart construction [4]. Hence, in transforming the construction industry, built environment programmes (BEPs) are pertinent, given the unceasing investment in infrastructure. This study adopted civil engineering, project management, urban planning, construction management, architecture, estate management, and quantity surveying programmes as built environment programmes. It aligns with Savage et al. [5] and Ebekozien et al. [6], who identified the same major programmes in the built environment.

Discovering how BEPs, including the construction education sector involved in the training of expertise to the industry, will advance to meet these expectations (smart construction, fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies, construction digitalisation with engrossed sustainable practices) in the digital era through Education 4.0 is of extreme importance. The 4IR is also known as Industry 4.0. It is all about the current era of connectivity, advanced analytics, automation, and advanced technology that has been transforming global business for years [6]. The concept of “Education 4.0” presents a comprehensive set of skills, attitudes, and values to prepare young learners for well-being in the present and future economies as the world evolves technologically [4]. Built environment programmes are not exempted from these skills and values because of their relevance to industry. These skills, such as critical thinking infused in digitalisation, may enhance their productivity and excellence in practices. The call to reimagine the education system would only be complete with the Education 4.0 initiative as an instrument to facilitate that transformation. Education 4.0 aligns with the principles of Industry 4.0. Education 4.0 is gaining attention from scholars, who have conceptualised it in line with the established industrial revolution periods (Industry 4.0). It combines implementing current and emerging digital technologies with integrated education and ground-breaking paedagogical procedures supported by global best practices [7]. The evolution of Education 4.0 is an attempt by higher education institutions (HEIs), research centres, and scholars to respond to emerging social contexts and digitalisation as drivers to proffer innovative measures that will advance teaching–learning progression and generate an enabling environment for healthy paedagogical procedures [8]. Also, integrating innovative technologies into the teaching and learning progression would create platforms for remote learning [9]. Suvin [10] opined that Education 4.0 offers students the prospect of learning anytime, anywhere, with diverse internet tools that foster remote and self-paced learning. The goal is to transform education in the future with diverse advanced technologies and computerisation [11]. This aligns with the philosophical principles of Industry 4.0 (4IR), and BEPs in higher education institutions (HEIs) should not be left behind.

Ebekozien et al. [6] stated that the level of skills taught by built environment scholars is pertinent to collaborate and digitally advance BEPs to train employable students in the digital era. Major built environment disciplines are civil engineering, project management, urban planning, construction management, architecture, estate management, and quantity surveying [5]. This study aligns with Ebekozien et al. [6,12]. They adopted quantity surveying, civil engineering, architecture, and construction management as built environment disciplines. Ebekozien et al. [6] asserted that the sector had seen a trend in smart complexities projects across the globe. Addressing the sector’s expectations regarding training and development has become an issue for HEIs. Aliu and Aigbavboa [13] also avowed that building and engineering projects with complicated novel ideas are challenges to delivering construction outputs. Training graduating professionals in HEIs cannot be over-emphasised. The outcome will enhance their employability and performance in the industry.

Oviawe and Uwameiye [14] and Ebekozien et al. [2,6] revealed that sciences-related professionals do not match the digital era. Ebekozien et al. [6] found that built environment academics face some challenges in reskilling and upskilling to meet the construction industry’s expectations through the “train the trainers” scheme. Trainers should be well-trained to transfer the skills and knowledge to trainees (built environment students in HEIs). Technology and engineering courses could be more engaging [15]. Education 4.0 may improve and address some of the built environment professions (construction, engineering, and architecture) challenges associated with teaching and learning. However, implementing Education 4.0 in HEIs is challenging. This includes the ability to manage convergence, inadequate digital culture and training, investment in emerging technologies and human connectivity, ethical issues, power shifts, institutional capabilities in digital governance and accountability, analysis of interaction data, soft skills, multiple intelligences, and life-long learning [16]. Other issues include unclear economic benefits and digital investments, inadequately clear digital operations, vision and support, high financial investment requirements, concerns around loss of control over your company’s intellectual property, partners not being able to collaborate around digital solutions, how curriculum and paedagogical frameworks respond, and “smart” campuses delivering improvements in the educational experience [17].

The researchers’ preliminary findings show that measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s built environment programmes (BEPs) are long overdue and became pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is pertinent to quality education and, by extension, to the achievement of SDG 4. The main target of SDG 4 is to improve the quality of education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all. This is currently missing. Legg-Jack [18] found an inadequate capacity to fully digitalise teaching and learning through integrating diverse technologies as obtainable in Education 4.0 in most Nigerian educational institutions. Education 4.0 is critical to driving digital skills acquisition but faces several challenges in Nigeria [18,19,20]. Moreover, Education 4.0 stimulates greater human connectivity and enhances the production of holistic BEP graduates with multiple intelligences in learning, relearning, upskilling, and reskilling [16]. The outcome will improve built environment graduates’ employability. This is pertinent because a (former) Nigerian Education Minister stated that about 20% of anticipating personnel are employable [21]. This assertion was supported by the submission of Prof Charles Soludo, who opined that about 60% of incoming personnel are unemployable worldwide [22]. Poor digital skills in some developing countries may negatively impact graduates’ employability level in renowned organisations. The emerging implementation of Education 4.0 in HEIs will improve Nigeria’s BEPs and, by extension, it will enhance teaching and learning methods via modelling and simulation of the real situation, improve capability and competency, and enrich BEP learning virtually (3D models of the real environment) [16].

Hence, besides enhancing employability via Education 4.0, its implementation will improve the functionality of BEP graduates, especially in developing countries, and upgrade them to global standards regarding transformative competencies. BEPs are expected to match the demands of 21st century construction industry via Education 4.0 in HEIs. Education 4.0 aims to transform education in the future with diverse digital automation and innovative paedagogical procedures and to improve the achievement of SDG 4 (quality education). Studies concerning Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs are scarce. Hence, this study aims to appraise Education 4.0 and investigate the perceived hindrances facing implementing Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s HEIs, using BEPs as a case study. The findings intend to improve Education 4.0 implementation practices in BEPs. The following objectives will be used to fill the theoretical gap:

  i.

To appraise the current state of Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs.

 ii.

To investigate the hindrances to implementing Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs.

iii.

To proffer feasible measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s BEPs.

2. Review of the Literature

2.1. Background on Education 4.0

Education 4.0 is a term used to describe a general method or trend for preparing a future employee for Industry 4.0. In this context, the workforce are students of BEPs. Education 4.0 has no standard definition. The emphasis is on developing unique human qualities that technology cannot replace [4]. This study adopts the most common description of “Education 4.0”. Education 4.0 involves the diverse approaches HEIs (BEPs) can employ, and are employing, to position their services and curricula to prepare future professionals for employment [23]. Several corporate organisations, such as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), demand increased training in advanced digital skills and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This is to handle the “softer” skills that machines cannot automate, like flexibility and creativity [24]. Hence, to enhance competence and excellence in BEPs, stakeholders should embrace both approaches. Lloyds Bank [25] and Microsoft Report [26] stated that about 90% of available jobs will demand digital skills two decades from now. It is worse off in developing countries. This is of concern to stakeholders. Thus, Education 4.0 is timely and should be embraced. It aligns with the philosophies of Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 components have been globally reviewed [27,28]. This includes automation, internet of things, robots, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data [29]. Also, Ellahi et al. [30] identified artificial intelligence, augmented reality, big data analytics, internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, and other digital advancements. They opined that HEIs are expected to enhance education via Education 4.0. This shows that educating for the future via HEIs, including students in BEPs, has become pertinent [31]. Miranda et al. [7] identified four areas to shape the concept of Education 4.0 and modified it to develop their study’s framework. These include infrastructure, information and communication technologies, learning methods, and competencies. They affirmed that the components can be used in diverse educational stages and informal and non-formal educational settings.

The first industrial revolution (Education 1.0) occurred towards the end of the 18th century. The period was branded by systems mechanisation that birthed the emergence of technologies for the education sector [7]. The second industrial revolution (Education 2.0) occurred in the early 20th century. Electricity, industrialisation, and mass production were attributes linked with Education 2.0. Education 2.0’s educational philosophies were andragogical and constructivist. The learning method was teacher-focused [7]. The third industrial revolution (Education 3.0) occurred at the end of the 20th century and revolved around computerisation automation and control. Education 3.0’s philosophies were heutagogical and connectivist. The 4IR (Education 4.0) is ongoing, with innovative paedagogical procedures, digital technologies, and best practices defining this period [7,32]. The concept of Education 4.0 has provided a platform for students and educators to leverage emerging technologies and modern infrastructure to improve HEIs’ paedagogical procedures and achieve Goal 4 (quality education). Hence, paedagogical methods are evolving and becoming reoriented towards innovation to meet the requirements of a changing technological society. Miranda et al. [7] affirmed that knowledge generation in Education 4.0 transcends pedagogy and andragogy towards a method that combines cybergogy, peerogogy, and heutagogy. Heutagogy makes Education 4.0 encourage self-learning, which is based on humanist and constructivist principles and is centred on the student for learning and teaching. As previously highlighted, the proposed four core components will shape the proposed concept of Education 4.0. The goal of Education 4.0 has a link with SDG 4. SDG 4 (quality education) is one of the 2030 Agenda 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It promotes quality education and life-long learning opportunities for all [33]. This is pertinent to developing countries because of the primary and secondary benefits of education to the society and economy.

2.2. Built Environment Education (BEE) Background

BEE includes various tasks drawn from arts education, environmental and architectural sciences, and design [34]. Ebekozien et al. [6] opined that BEE knowledge boosts the relationship between quality of life and sustainable development. However, Kamalipour and Peimani [35] avowed that urban design via BEE might not address social and economic challenges, including urban poverty and inequality. Hence, training and enhancing the competencies of built environment professionals are apposite. Bybee [36] and Ebekozien et al. [6] emphasised that environment professionals and graduates should possess digital skills in this new era. Partnership for 21st Century Learning [37] acknowledged that skills in science-related disciplines and technology are required in the 21st century. These include self-regulation, knowledge construction, collaboration, and digital technology for learning. Savage et al. [5] and Ebekozien et al. [6] discovered that graduates can influence the transition-to-work experience. Upgrading the curriculum for built environment graduates via Education 4.0 to meet the industry requirements is relevant and timely. In Nigeria, some scholars [6,38] suggested the need for improving HEIs, but not from the perspective of Education 4.0. Umeokafor and Windapo [39] and Ebekozzien et al. [6] recommended overhauling the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The Nigerian Government established it to address the educational needs of HEIs via the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act 2011. This agency (TETFund) is accountable for improving, managing, and disbursing tax to Nigerian public tertiary institutions for human and infrastructure development [40]. Stakeholders are concerned about the possible challenges that Education 4.0 will face in HEIs. The Joint Information Services Committee (JISC) [41,42] identified key challenges and proffered emergent technologies to address these barriers, as presented in

Table 1. Summarised Education 4.0 challenges and emergent technologies.

Challenge	Emergent Technologies
Student experience	AI, chatbots, learning analytics
Skills gap	Immersive technologies, simulations, AI
Data and Estates	Big data, robotics, smart library management
Innovations in teaching and learning	AI, personalised learning environments, chatbots, immersive technologies
Metrics	Data analytics
Open science and research infrastructure	AI, machine learning, robotics, automated experimentation, knowledge discovery, connected research equipment
Cyber security	IoT (security risks)

Source: Bonfield et al. [29], p. 226.

.

3. Theoretical Framework

This study is underpinned by Neoclassical Growth Theory (NGT) and Stakeholder Theory (ST) and supports a framework to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s BEPs. It aligns with Ebekozien et al. [6]. They adopted the same theories to support a framework to improve Nigeria’s built environment academics. NGT is a theory that summarises how a steady economic growth rate emerges from a grouping of three driving variables. These include technology, capital, and labour. These key variables, especially digital technology, align with this study’s focus (Education 4.0). Robert Solow and Trevor Swan introduced the model in 1956 [43]. In 1957, Solow incorporated technology change into the model, as presented in Figure 1. This study argues that infusing digital technology into the four core components will improve Education 4.0, especially in built environment programmes, and, by extension, improve graduates’ employability. Regarding capital and labour, Jia et al. [44] opined that the share of factor inputs in final output may change, particularly for developing countries like Nigeria. The researchers also adopted the Stakeholder Theory.

Stakeholder Theory application in project management has shown that stakeholder management is critical to the creative execution of projects [45,46]. Freeman [47] defined a stakeholder as “any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the firm’s objectives”. For a construction project to be successful, stakeholders must be involved because they have a stake in the project. Project stakeholders are described as “individuals and organisations who are actively involved in the project, or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected as a result of project execution or successful project completion” [48]. Based on this background, enhancing the diverse views of various parties and clarifying their needs is necessary [49]. The basic value of ST is that clusters, such as BEP students, acknowledge stakeholder interests and continually build and reimagine these networks to create better performance [50]. The theory encompasses stakeholders’ metaphors, ideas, and expressions linked to the central concept. In this context, the central concept is to improve Education 4.0 in BEPs to enhance graduates’ employability. The theory focuses on how BEP graduates can obtain competency, reskills, upskills, and knowledge driven by digitalisation (Education 4.0) for improved learning in alignment with the best global standard.

This framework, modified from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) [51], Miranda et al. [7], and World Economic Forum [4], as illustrated in Figure 1, demonstrates that technological change via Education 4.0, tailored towards innovation, translative competencies, and training of students’ knowledge and skills, will create economic development and future well-being [6,7,52]. Technological advancement and stakeholders’ collaboration to implement Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs may encounter challenges within the four core components of Education 4.0. Hence, this study will investigate possible barriers and propose measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s built environment programmes. Besides providing BEP students with a set of skills, values, knowledge, and attitudes comparable with those of their counterparts worldwide to prepare them for the economies of the future, this study will improve the employability of BEP graduates with the goal of achieving SDG 4 (quality education). The model agrees with assertions by Becerik-Gerber and Rice [53] and Ebekozien et al. [6], who suggested that construction, engineering, and management trainers should teach architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) students basics related to digital technology concepts and other competencies to aid their job performance and well-being in the future. Also, Ebekozien and Aigbavboa [54] affirmed that, to stay relevant in this era, digitalisation is the way to go. This study intends to foster technological advancement and stakeholders’ collaboration for the benefit of BEP students to improve their transformative competencies (skills, attitudes, values, and knowledge).

4. Research Method

This research used phenomenology, a type of qualitative approach. Creswell and Creswell [55] and Jaafar et al. [56] asserted that phenomenology explains the lived experience of a phenomenon via data collected from the participants. The researchers employed semi-structured virtual interviews, to achieve wider coverage, with experts who indicated interest and were interviewed. The researchers captured the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Creswell and Creswell [55] affirmed that semi-structured interviews allow for fact-finding studies. This aligns with Umeokafor and Windapo [39] and Ebekozien et al. [6]. Umeokafor and Windapo [39] proposed a qualitative method for built environment studies and avowed that the method could align with addressing societal problems. Forty participants participated in the data collection phase. These included selected property developers, professional bodies, regulatory agencies, higher institutions, selected BEPs (civil engineering, construction management/building technology, architecture, and quantity surveying), and academic staffers, as illustrated in

Table 2. Interviewees’ description.

Participant	Rank/Firm	Years of Experience	Geopolitical Zone/Location and Participant Code						Total
			SS	SW	SE	NW	NC	NE
Built Environment Professionals in Academics	Not below (NB) Lecturer 1 rank (State and Federal)	NB 10 years	1–2	3–6	7–8	9–11	12–14	15	15
Built Environment Professionals in Practice	Directors, Managing Partners, Partners	NB 25 years	16–17	18–21	22	23–24	25–29	30	15
Professional Elected/Appointed Officials	Past and serving Exco National Members	NB 28 years	-	-	-	-	31–34	-	4
HEI Regulatory Agencies	NB Senior Staff	NB 15 years	-	-	-	35	36	-	2
Property Developers	Directors/Operational Managers/CEO, Managing Directors	NB 27 years	37	38	-	-	39–40	-	4
Total									40

Note: SS = South-South, SW = South-West, SE = South-East, NW = North-West, NC = North-Central, and NE = North-East. Source: authors’ work.

. Table 2 shows that the interviewees were built environment professionals in academia (P1 to P15), built environment professionals in practice (P16 to P30), elected/appointed officials among construction professionals (P31 to P34), regulatory staffers (P35 to P36), and property developers (P37 to P40). Study saturation was achieved at the 36th interview. This was confirmed as there were no “new data” or “constructs” from the ongoing interview. Data collection took an average of 50 min per interview. This study’s data collection took place between July 2022 and October 2022. The researchers hid the interviewees’ identities and firms. This is in line with the ethical research policy, and the semi-structured interview questions were reviewed by senior colleagues before the final study. This study was subject to ethical review and approval.

To ensure knowledge-based participants were engaged, at least one participant from each regulatory agency was represented. These are the two major regulatory agencies for built environment programmes in Nigeria’s higher education institutions. The interviews were recorded with the interviewees’ permission. In developing the codes, they were manually analysed via thematic analysis. The transcripts were read many times by this study’s researchers, who doubled as the coders to capture the participants’ perceptions of the phenomenon. This study adopted a two-phase coding approach. This aligns with Jaafar et al. [56]. They adopted the same method of two phases to develop the initial coding scheme for their studies [57]. Member checking, researcher reflexivity, and triangulation were adopted as the validity approaches [58]. For this study’s reliability and validity, an assessment of the qualitative data was conducted, as summarised in

Table 3. Quality assessment approaches.

Method	Assessment Strategies	Phase of Research, Including Techniques Used
Reliability	Consistent structure of interview.	Data collection
	Consistent interviewer (lead investigator).	Data collection
Validity	Utilisation of recognised strategy.	Data collection
	Semi-structured virtual interview.	Data collection
Credibility	Pattern matching using the theme method.	Data analysis
Dependability	Developing interview guidelines.	Research design
	Ease of independent review of data collection trial.	Research design
		Data collection/analysis

Source: modified from Yin [60], p. 34, and Ebekozien et al. [6].

. The researchers’ ability as an instrument is key in ensuring credibility [59]. Seventy-nine codes were generated. They were re-clustered into ten sub-themes and re-arranged into three main themes.

5. Findings and Discussion

5.1. Theme One: Current State of Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs

The concept of Education 4.0 has been established as beneficial to learning (students) and teaching (teachers/academicians) in many areas, such as the capacity to simplify the process of knowledge transfer/sharing, high-engagement learning, smart classroom and learners, endless information, expansive learning opportunities, and individualised learning experience [61]. Our findings agree that for BEPs to stay relevant in emerging technological innovation and smart construction, the role of Education 4.0 in BEPs cannot be over-emphasised. Our major findings show that Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s BEPs is lax and should be overhauled to improve achieving SDG4 (quality education) and other related SDGs. This is apposite because of professionals’ roles in the construction industry. Participant P2 says,

“… I doubt our decision-making stakeholders, such as the policymakers and political leaders, are ready for Education 4.0. My overview assessment shows that Nigeria is still struggling between Education 1.0 and 2.0 but is far from Education 3.0. Developed countries and some developing countries are implementing Education 4.0 in response to the needs of Industry 4.0. Do we have the capacity for Industry 4.0?…”

Expectations from Education 4.0 are high, and the Nigerian HEI systems, including BEPs, are far from it, as asserted by many industry participants. The areas that are lacking include connectivity, digitalisation, and virtualisation (majority of participants), cyber and physical spaces, both shared and individual (majority of participants), ICT tools and platforms powered by IoT (P17–P23, P33, and P39), training of key competencies, soft and hard (majority of participants), becoming mostly student-centred (P12, P22, P35, and P38), and mentors, coaches, collaborators, and references (P1, P5, P13, P22, P35, and P40). Most of these attributes are missing across BEPs in Nigeria’s HEIs, with a few private HEIs being exceptions (industry participants). This is the perception of most participants from the industry. These findings agree with Okure [62] and Legg-Jack [18]. Okure [62] found that private HEIs in Nigeria started to flourish because of the alleged failure of public HEIs to provide quality education. This is a threat to SDG 4. Legg-Lack [18] found issues impeding the digitalisation of teaching and learning mechanisms in Nigerian public HEIs. These are hindrances to Education 4.0 because of the close link with Industry 4.0 (fourth industrial revolution). Participant P14 speaks from an academic perspective.

“…besides few private HEIs we (Nigerian public HEIs) are backward regarding implementing Education 4.0 if the truth must be told. Many factors such as poor budget and prolonged strike have compounded the impeding hindrances to implementing Education 4.0…” said Participant 14.

5.2. Theme Two: Hindrances

This theme presents the emerging hindrances facing implementing Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s HEIs, using BEPs as a case study. The findings show evidence of perceived issues facing Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s HEIs, using BEPs as a case study. The 18 emerging hindrances were grouped into government/regulatory agency-related, higher education institution management-related, and BEP student-related hindrances, as summarised in

Table 4. Hindrances facing Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s HEIs that emerged from this study.

S/Nos	Hindrances That Emerged	Categorisation
		Govt/Regulatory Agency-Related	HEI Management-Related	BEP Student-Related
1	Lack of access to IT infrastructure	✓	✓
2	Inadequate funding: the Education 4.0 project is capital-intensive	✓	✓
3	Lax government and management lead/direction	✓	✓
4	Cost of training for staff/lecturers (“train the trainers” scheme)	✓	✓
5	Diverse access to technology skills acquisition	✓	✓
6	Poor/weak internet access/data	✓	✓
7	Lax accreditation standards and requirements as a framework for Education 4.0 implementation in HEIs	✓	✓
8	Erratic electric power supply	✓	✓
9	Lax collaboration between industry professionals and the academic world regarding Education 4.0	✓	✓	✓
10	Lack of digital literacy/competence skills	✓	✓
11	High security risks regarding data protection and cyber issues	✓	✓	✓
12	Academic staff and students’ resistance/experience	✓	✓	✓
13	Unequal access to educational opportunities	✓	✓	✓
14	Low awareness of the relevance of Education 4.0	✓	✓	✓
15	Inadequate investment in research and development	✓	✓	✓
16	Unclear benefits and gains to many stakeholders	✓	✓	✓
17	Absence of enabling environment (frequent academic labour crises)	✓	✓
18	Absence of political will	✓	✓
Total		18	18	7

Source: authors’ work.

. One pertinent point from this research study is the grouping of the 18 hindrances facing the implementation of Education 4.0 in BEPs in Nigeria’s HEI context into three main groups. Regarding government/regulatory agency-related and HEI management-related hindrances, our findings identify a lack of access to IT infrastructure, inadequate funding (the Education 4.0 project is capital-intensive), lax accreditation standards and requirements as a framework for Education 4.0 implementation in HEIs, absence of an enabling environment (frequent academic labour crises), erratic electric power supply, and inadequate investment in research and development. For others, refer to Table 4. As for BEP student-related hindrances, academic staff and students’ resistance/experience, unequal access to educational opportunities, low awareness of the relevance of Education 4.0, and lax collaboration between industry professionals and the academic world regarding Education 4.0 emerged as the major BEP student-related hindrances. For others, refer to Table 4.

Concerning the issue of funding and incessant strikes by unions in public HEIs in Nigeria, a participating academic staff member says,

“… we have a long way to go regarding digitalising education (Education 4.0). I agree that Education 4.0 is beyond digitalisation, but do we have the capacity with the insufficient budget for education, incessant strikes, and insufficient and delipidated ICT facilities? I doubt. This is my opinion…” said Participant P4.

This is a cause for concern. The findings agree with Asiyai [38], Olafare et al. [63], Miranda et al. [7], and Tolu-Kolawole [64]. Asiyai [38] discovered insufficient ICT infrastructure and facilities. This includes libraries, workshops, students’ residences, and science laboratories as issues that may influence the quality of education. These issues may impede Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s HEIs, including BEPs. Olafare et al. [63] suggested budgetary funds to train digital technology instructors in HEIs. Miranda et al. [7] affirmed that Education 4.0 could not operate successfully without suitable infrastructure for learning and teaching practices. Regarding institutional-level infrastructure, besides its use for paedagogical procedures, it can also be used for services and management processes. Participant P7 says,

“… many Nigeria’s HEIs face a chronic shortage of students’ accommodation and classrooms… There are cases where students struggle to get seats for lectures. It is beyond my control…”

Tolu-Kolawole [64] analysed how the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on 16 strikes in 23 years due to disagreement over a 13-year MOU. A system in which eight months were wasted by university lecturers and the government’s inability to resolve their differences cannot implement Education 4.0 (Participants P12–P14, P24, P30, and P40).

5.3. Theme Three: Ways to Improve Implementing Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s BEPs

This theme presents the measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s built environment programmes. The summary of the core measures to promote Education 4.0 in Nigeria’s HEIs was clustered into four sub-themes, as illustrated in this study’s developed framework (Figure 2). The results suggest that stakeholders in Nigeria’s BEPs should embrace Education 4.0 to enhance graduates’ employability via transformative competencies, technological advancement, innovative paedagogical procedures, and stakeholders’ collaboration to improve achieving SDG 4 (quality education) (majority of participants). Participants P3, P14, P22, P34, and P39 suggest that infrastructure provision to promote Education 4.0 should focus on enhancing problem-based learning, face-to-face active learning, and challenge-based learning in Nigeria’s HEIs, as well as implementing hybrid–blended learning in BEPs and online distance learning. The findings agree with Miranda et al. [7]. They affirmed that physical infrastructure and virtual innovation are relevant to the needs of Education 4.0. Participant P11 says,

“… Nigeria is far behind regarding Education 4.0 implementation and hoping the incoming government will have the political will to address some of the critical issues… I’m aware that many polytechnics could not function during the COVID crisis though the universities were on strike while elementary schools in our neighbouring countries were in operation because the infrastructure and capacity were there…”

Also, our findings suggest implementing emerging ICTs that will change the current education system from the conventional to a student-centred model, as illustrated in the developed model (Figure 2). Five participants confirmed that the platform will allow students to develop skills and competencies and adapt to changes. It will facilitate access, distribution, and information collection [7]. Participant P12 says,

“… ICT elements in Education 4.0 are tools and platforms and technology-based. The latter provides technology-based measures while the former combines various technologies for management and educational purposes…”

The importance of critical thinking, collaboration, cognition, creativity, and innovation in the developed all-inclusive institutional framework to promote more industry-based collaboration and the implementation of Education 4.0, as well as to enhance the vision of Industry 4.0, as presented in Figure 2, cannot be over-emphasised. Most participants from the industry suggest an all-inclusive collaboration to achieve Education 4.0. Participant P22 says,

“… collaboration should integrate inputs from the industry regarding how Education 4.0 can be incorporated and integrated into the curriculum of Nigeria’s HEIs to enhance transformative competencies, technological advancement, and innovative pedagogical procedures…”

These findings align with Dawson and Osborne [65]. They recommended redefining HEIs’ purpose and designing an industry-designed curriculum to reshape BEPs. Also, the results align with Oesterreich and Teuteberg [66]. They stated that Industry 4.0 technologies would improve the sector’s efficiency, productivity, sustainability, and collaboration. Our findings affirm that quality higher education is an all-inclusive interplay of many aspects, including collaborations with other stakeholders. This includes personal, paedagogical, procedural, organisational, and institutional aspects, as revealed in Figure 2. Thus, Figure 2 shows that Education 4.0 can influence these aspects directly or indirectly. Pohlenz et al. [67] found that during the COVID-19 crisis, the paedagogical capabilities of academic staffers were readjusted to the wants of internet teaching, including examination formats and mobile learning spaces. Education 4.0 enhances this mechanism to achieve its task.

6. This Study’s Implications

Few studies have been conducted within and outside Nigeria regarding Education 4.0 and its implementation in BEPs. Apart from exploring the hindrances and proffered measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation, this study will improve BEP graduates’ employability. The framework of the developed study has some hindrances, which this study explored. Thus, more work is needed to improve Education 4.0 and meet the needs of the construction industry. This study established a theoretical gap. First, the developed framework aligns with the four core components of Education 4.0 to improve BEP graduates’ employability by offering solutions to the hindrances. This study showed that the developed framework is supported by NGT and ST, as presented in Figure 2. This is a component of this study’s theoretical implications. Also, categorising the 18 issues into government/regulatory agency-related, higher education institution management-related, and BEP student-related hindrances, as summarised in Table 4, is a component of this study’s theoretical implications.

Concerning its practical implications, this research study affirms that Nigeria’s HEIs demand the implementation of Education 4.0 and stakeholders’ collaboration to improve the achievement of Goal 4. This will improve graduates’ employability via transformative competencies, technological advancement, innovative paedagogical procedures, and stakeholders’ collaboration to improve achieving SDG 4. Embracing Education 4.0 and stakeholders’ collaboration in HEIs will boost the quality of BEP graduates. This research will incentivise stakeholders in the sector, especially HEIs administrators and relevant government education agencies, to increase the education sector’s budgetary allocation. The results show that enhancing the skills and knowledge of BEP students increases their performance concerning job-seeking skills and competencies for a better future. This study recommends implementing Education 4.0 and collaborating with the industry to accomplish this feat. The NUC, NBTE, and TETFund management team should embrace and promote Education 4.0 via a research-driven approach to building capacity. In summary, the modified framework (Figure 2) could be used to mitigate hindrances linked to paedagogical, procedural, organisational, and institutional aspects and, by extension, improve efficiency, productivity, sustainability, and collaboration. Education 4.0 for built environment programmes is critical for construction digitalisation in the era of 4IR and 5IR and, by extension, for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4.

7. Limitations and Areas for Further Research

This study adopted a qualitative approach via an interview method. The adopted mechanism limited this study’s sample size to 40 participants with apparent saturation at the 36th interviewee. This study’s sample size does not detrimentally impact the results. Thus, future studies should test this study’s developed framework and validate the results. Besides validating the items/dimensions associated with the main constructs, a quantitative method may enhance wider coverage decisions. Hence, the items that emerged under the main variables (government/regulatory agency-related, HEI management-related, and BEP student-related hindrances) can be adopted in future studies as measurement items. Also, future studies may consider the impact of Education 4.0 on construction project performance in developing countries.

8. Conclusions and Recommendations

This research offered evidence concerning Education 4.0 implementation in HEIs, using BEPs as a case study, as well as elaborating on related hindrances and proffering measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in HEIs. Education 4.0 aims to address the demands of Industry 4.0, develop skills, and build competencies for emerging technologies and for the future well-being of employees who will comply with the conditions of Industry 4.0. The findings reveal that improved Education 4.0 can enhance the achievement of SDG 4. The findings show that Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s BEPs is lax and should be overhauled to improve achieving SDG4 and other related SDGs. This study identified 18 hindrances and categorised them into three clusters (government/regulatory agency-related, higher education institution management-related, and BEP student-related hindrances). From these hindrances, this study concludes that Nigeria’s HEIs, including BEPs, cannot implement Education 4.0 fully. This is because Education 4.0 aims to address the demands of Industry 4.0. This allows technology and humans to align to achieve new competencies, skills, and knowledge possibilities. This study recommends the following measures to improve Education 4.0 implementation in Nigeria’s HEIs:

  i.

This study recommends that besides addressing the issues of incessant striking actions emanating from unresolved managerial disputes in Nigeria’s HEIs, especially in public HEIs, the low education budget and the issue of inadequate funding need to be addressed in line with the UNESCO recommendation. This, by extension, will facilitate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4. This will improve access to ICT infrastructure and upskill and reskill academic staffers regarding integrating emerging technologies, such as IoT, machine learning, and cloud computing, in teaching and learning.

 ii.

This study suggests developing an all-inclusive framework to promote employability, industry-based collaboration, and the implementation of Education 4.0 to enhance the vision of Industry 4.0, as presented in Figure 2. This collaboration should integrate inputs from the industry regarding how Education 4.0 can be incorporated into Nigeria’s HEIs to enhance transformative competencies, technological advancement, and innovative paedagogical procedures and, by extension, improve the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4. Life-long learning and flexible production lines must also be emphasised. The key stakeholders, especially the government via regulatory agencies and the relevant professional bodies, have a part to play in implementing Education 4.0 in BEPs via curriculum updating.

iii.

Also, this study recommends that besides Education 4.0 as a means to generate a sustainable environment for future staffers’ education and align with Industry 4.0 regarding creativity and innovation, students and academic staffers in BEPs should embrace the Education 4.0 concept as a platform to acquire skills and competencies that technologies may not be able to offer in the future via problem-based learning and blended learning in BEPs.