Postgraduate Students Quality Researches: Challenges and the Way Forward Dr.Mrs Binta Iliyasu One-day Workshop on “Capacity Building for Better Postgraduate Output”, University of Maiduguri Postgraduate School, 2nd May, 2019

Postgraduate research in Nigeria PG programme is a platform for the Development of research capacity, and building of skills, harvesting of ingenuous ideas and creativity; It catalyzes developments and prosperity in the education sector in this case - the Nigerian Society The outcome is to produce lecturers and workers that will occupy high ranking positions in both the public and private sectors;

Postgraduate research in Nigeria contd. The objective is to address complex issues of life and existence - economic development Based on the challenges experienced thus far ‘Few or none desire to pursue PG research in Nigeria’. - ‘’If one is to conduct PG without tears, he should get out of the country’’ Why?

Table of Content Challenges of PG student’s Quality Research Way forward The AWARD Model

Challenges Institution-related (systemic problems) Supervisor-related Student-related (personal/psychological problems)

Institution-related challenges Lack of appropriate attention/ interest from government & public despite increase and growth in PG enrolment Lack of funding/Inadequate resources

Institution-related challenges contd. Inadequate institutional infrastructure & research materials (facilities, equipment & - workshops, libraries, ICT, accommodation etc Incessant closure of universities, no value placed on time! Shortage of qualified supervisors/academic staff too few & overburdened Existing limited facilities overstretched

Supervisor-related challenges Inexperience Too busy (unnecessary administrative assignments, heavy teaching loads, other distractions etc) Poor supervision (no guidelines, schedules for meeting, record of discussions or mechanism for redress) Conflicting views within supervisory team Biased mindset (lack of interest)

Student-related challenges Inexperience (research design, data collection, & processing, writing of research report etc) Lack of sponsorship/financial support Lack of motivation Inability to balance between studies, job and/or family

Student-related challenges contd. Poor quality of students More time spent on data collection Too many objectives to cover

‘’Most of the country’s research is only for promotion and not for addressing societal ills’’ Executive secretary , TETfund

Way forward Provision of adequate research funding (research to align with national/international development goals attracts funding!) Capacity building w/shops (Research proposal writing, presentation skills, responsible conduct of research, techniques in basic & applied research etc) Provision of grants, scholarships

Way forward contd. Standard & modern facilities and equipment (laboratories, libraries, workshops) with routine services & maintenances Develop supervision guidelines M & E (regular reporting of research progress etc) supervisors be given less teaching loads/other responsibilities

Way forward contd. Mentoring Stable university calendar The world – a global village Collaboration Synergy Networking Linkages To achieve quality research and excellence eg. S/African Science Forum

The AWARD Model Mentorship package (goal setting/purpose road map Training in science skills (Research proposal, science writing, communication & presentation skills and e-resources etc) Advance science attachment in state-of-the-art centres of excellence Progress monitoring (M&E)

The AWARD Model contd. Professional Association membership support Development of partnerships, linkages and collaboration through sponsorship to International conferences, workshops Networking (NiWARD, GaWARD, UGAWARD, Ke-AWARD etc)

Acknowledgement

listening! Thanks for