Universities in Nigeria have been charged to undertake
research activities that are relevant to, and support
national goals as well as which promote the uptake of life
changing research outcomes, for the country to realise its
potentials.
A two-term former Vice Chancellor of the University of
Ibadan, Emeritus Professor Ladipo Ayo Banjo gave this
advice yesterday in Abuja, while delivering the maiden
International Lecture Series of the National Universities
Commission (NUC). The quarterly lecture was titled
“Global Rankings and the Nigerian Higher Education
System”.
It was organised in collaboration with the Nigerian
Academy of Letters (NAL), and designed to address
topical national issues especially as they affect the
Nigerian University System (NUS). Yesterday’s lecture was
held to address the controversial issue of ranking among
universities on the global scale.
The NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abubakar
Rasheed had in October issued a statement to disagree
with global ranking of Nigerian universities, saying such
rankings were untrue and unfair. He had stated that the
NUC would in 2017 conduct its own ranking of Nigerian
universities, and the lecture title of yesterday was to
begin the process.
Reacting to the constant criticism of Nigerian universities’
poor showing in global ranking, Professor Rasheed
submitted that “many of the variables, parameters and
indicators of those rankings were outside the control of
Nigerian universities and the NUC”.
The NUC scribe, however, dissociated the commission
from any reported ranking of Nigerian universities in the
mass media, saying it had not embarked on any such
exercise in the last 15 years. “It was, therefore, embarking
on next year’s ranking to put an end to the spurious
claims and innuendoes about the academic standing and
quality of Nigerian universities”, the statement quoted
Professor Rasheed to have said.
At the lecture yesterday, Professor Banjo agreed that
reports issued by even the biggest ranking bodies have
been subjected to critisisms with a lot of holes picked in
them. According to him, ranking is overly problematic,
reducing a university to a number, derived from
sometimes controversial indicators which are used to
rank it.
“This is evidently unsatisfactory. In view of the large
generational, historical, linguistic, national, regional and
continental diversity of the over 17,000 universities which
must be considered in a fully inclusive ranking project,
the daunting challenge is how, if ever possible, to
formulate globally acceptable, precise and effective
comparability criteria and performance indicators for
accessing the quality of excellence of every university in
every nook and cranny of this world”, Professor Banjo
said.According to him, the fact that most criteria and
indicators are non-global, deals a blow on global rankings.
Besides, ranking fuels cut throat competition, while
undermining meaningful multilateral cooperation among
universities, he said.
He, however, added that in line with emerging trends that
are fostering comaparability and competition in the global
higher education sector, the Nigerian university system
needs to develop and implement its own ranking system.
He noted that this step will be a lot beneficial especially
by helping the NUC monitor the state of affairs within the
system and strenghtening the criteria it uses for
accreditation. “Would-be proprietors of universities will
also have a clear idea of what is involved in starting an
running a university”, he said.
Professor Banjo also noted that a ranking system for the
NUS will stimulate healthy rivalry among universities and
make each university perform its role in accordance with
best practices. Also, it will guide parents and students to
make their choices of universities.
He then recommended the formation of a Nigerian
Universities Ranking Council (NURC) which would provide
a platform where expertise of relevant stakeholders can
be harnessed to provide a creditable framework for the
ranking exercise.
He suggested that the NURC resides mainly in the
Nigerian Academies and among laureates of the Nigerian
National Order of Merit, and be funded through the NUC.
It is to develop the underlying philosophy and key
objectives of each of its different kinds of ranking,
determine the frequency of ranking exercises and to
determine how the ranking would be done and what
criteria to use in ranking.
The Emeritus Professor reminded of the need to comply
with the Berlin Principles on Ranking of Higher Education
Institutions.
Earlier while declaring the lecture series open, Minister of
Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who was represented
by the Director in charge of Tertiary Education, Hajia
Fatima Ahmad, commended the NUC for the initiative of
setting up the lecture series which are designed to
address topical issues in the university system. He said
the discussions were designed to mark the beginning of
well established ranking in the the Nigerian university
system.
Chairman of the ocassion, and former President of the
Academy of Science, Professor Umar Shehu expressed
support for the decision to establish a ranking process for
the university system in Nigeria. “Academics will continue
to engage in this process”, he said.
Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Rasheed said
the lecture series was meant to invigorate the university
system. He added that seasoned educationists of
international repute will deliver the lecture series.
Professor Rasheed informed that the next lecture which
has been slated for February 2017, will be delivered by a
former Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Peter
Okebukola.https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/225378/nuc-process-ranking-universities

Indeed a good one....