Challenges and Solutions in Postgraduate Research: Capacity Building Workshop

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

2. Postgraduate research in Nigeria • PG programmeis 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;

3. 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?

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

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

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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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

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

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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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)

16. 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)

17. Acknowledgement

18. listening! Thanks for