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The Need for Nigerian Universities to Collaborate for Quality Research Output

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Innovations and Interdisciplinary Solutions for Underserved Areas (InterSol 2022)

Abstract

The sustainable development of nations globally is highly influenced by the knowledge economy. Growth in the knowledge economy is driven by higher education with quality research being a major contributor to an excellent education. Over the years, universities in high-income countries have put research excellence at the core of their strategies with collaboration being a major tool utilised in improving the universities’ global recognition and ranking. However, low-income countries lag behind in global recognition and ranking of universities. This is worsened by difficulties in securing collaboration. In this perspective, we examine, the situation in Nigeria- a low-income country. We compare public and private Nigerian universities in terms of research excellence and argue for collaboration between local private and public universities, and between the local and foreign universities to overcome the challenges associated with researchers working alone. We also highlight the barriers that could limit effective collaboration in Nigerian universities. These barriers include funding and finding collaborators, personal or family worries, lack of trust and respect for diversity of disciplines and poor internet infrastructure and the high cost of international calls. Finally, we conclude that collaboration is key to knowledge sharing, the attraction of research grants and meeting sustainability targets. Hence, Nigerian universities should reach out to researchers with mutual research interests at home and abroad for more successful and impactful research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria

    Chukwuma C. Ogbaga

  2. Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria

    Chukwuma C. Ogbaga & George Mangse

  3. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria

    Terkuma Chia

  4. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria

    Oluwatosin Imoleayo Oyeniran & Menizibeya Osain Welcome

  5. Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan

    Habib-ur-Rehman Athar

  6. School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK

    Nugun P. Jellason

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  1. Chukwuma C. Ogbaga
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  2. Terkuma Chia
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  3. Oluwatosin Imoleayo Oyeniran
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  4. Menizibeya Osain Welcome
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  5. George Mangse
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  7. Nugun P. Jellason
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Correspondence to Chukwuma C. Ogbaga .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria

    Abdulhameed Danjuma Mambo

  2. Carnegie Mellon University Africa, Kigali, Rwanda

    Assane Gueye

  3. Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Ghada Bassioni

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Ogbaga, C.C. et al. (2022). The Need for Nigerian Universities to Collaborate for Quality Research Output. In: Mambo, A.D., Gueye, A., Bassioni, G. (eds) Innovations and Interdisciplinary Solutions for Underserved Areas. InterSol 2022. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 449. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23116-2_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23116-2_24

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