The culture of innovation in OAU is also successful because of students. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) OAU Student Branch, which is among the most active ones in the country, keeps engineering education off campus with SPAW 2.0 (Student Professional Awareness Workshop). 

This was a one-year outreach program that taught secondary school students about embedded systems and entrepreneurial thinking that taught them concepts of sensors all the way to the implementation of a complete project. Dubbed “Embedded Systems for Entrepreneurial Initiatives,” the project captures OAU’s belief that education should go beyond theory — that students must learn to turn technology into tools that solve real problems and create value in society.

Oduduwa College and Saint David College were two outstanding schools of the grand finale held to celebrate IEEE Day 2025. These students learned to code, use sensors, and integrate systems and by the end of the programme, all their projects were both creative and technically excellent.

1) SMART Intruder Alarm System, this system notifies when somebody enters a restricted zone. 

2) SMART Water Irrigation System- this works automatically and waters farmland depending on soil moisture sensors. 

3) SMART Door Lock System Fingerprint recognition based on automated security. 

These were all student constructed projects and proved that an exposure to engineering at an early age can spark curiosity throughout the lifetime of the individual. IEEE OAU volunteers accompanied the participants all along the way by mentoring, training and assisting them.