By Blessing Ibegbu
Prof. Haruna Ayuba, Vice Chancellor of Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State, has reiterated the university’s commitment to nurturing innovative thinkers, fostering groundbreaking research, and contributing meaningfully to national and global development.
Ayuba made this known at the 3rd Postgraduate Workshop organised by the university, themed “Innovative Research for Sustainable Development – Celebrating 20 Years of Academic Excellence,” on Thursday.
He stated that the workshop was one of the key activities planned by the School of Postgraduate Studies to commemorate the university’s 20th anniversary.
Reflecting on the university’s journey, Ayuba noted it had been marked by resilience, growth, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge aimed at addressing society’s pressing challenges.
“Established in 2005, Bingham University today boasts 16 faculties, 54 departments, 48 undergraduate programmes, and 59 postgraduate programmes,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor emphasised that the workshop highlighted the university’s strategic focus on sustainable development, stressing the need to leave a better society for future generations.
He said the workshop was designed to provide a platform for participants to explore innovative solutions that could shape a more sustainable future.
Outlining the key objectives behind the workshop’s theme, Ayuba mentioned fostering Cutting-Edge Knowledge as a priority.
He emphasised that postgraduate students and researchers must stay abreast of the latest trends, methodologies, and innovations in their respective fields.
This, he said, was essential to ensure that their research remained relevant, impactful, and capable of addressing real-world societal challenges.
In encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, he said sustainable development required diverse perspectives.
“Collaborative research across disciplines is essential for developing holistic solutions.”
He said the workshop also aimed to build research capacity among postgraduate students by equipping them with the skills and tools needed to carry out innovative and policy-relevant research.
The goal, he added, was to move beyond the narrow focus of publishing in high-impact journals.
On addressing real-world challenges, he noted that the workshop encouraged research efforts that focused on the socio-political, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability.
According to him, the goal is to generate solutions that bring about measurable, positive change in society.
He further highlighted the importance of networking and partnerships, noting that collaboration were essential in driving meaningful research outcomes.
He explained that the workshop served as a platform for students, faculty members, policymakers, and industry leaders to share ideas and strengthen the real-world relevance and impact of academic research.
In addition, he emphasised the workshop’s alignment with both national priorities and global development frameworks, particularly the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stressing the need for researchers to contribute meaningfully to those broader agendas.
Addressing unethical practices in postgraduate research, he raised concerns about the exploitation of students by some supervisors, including cases of harassment and manipulation.
He called for an end to such misconduct and encouraged students to report any unethical behaviour, assuring them that the university’s management would take prompt and decisive action.
Ayuba reiterated that the overarching aim of the workshop was to nurture a new generation of researchers and innovators capable of building sustainable, resilient communities and ecosystems.
Also speaking at the event, the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Okoli Bamidele, said the workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on the school’s progress and chart a dynamic path forward.
He expressed pride in the school’s growth since its inception in 2017, when it started with just six programmes.
“Today, the school has grown into a vibrant community of more than 2,000 scholars.
“We now offer 59 postgraduate programmes, including PhDs, academic and professional master’s degrees, and diplomas across 15 dynamic faculties.
“Our researchers are out there tackling some of society’s toughest challenges,” Bamidele said.
Looking ahead, Bamidele outlined several priority areas that will shape the university’s future research direction.
He emphasised the need to focus on entrepreneurship in Africa, particularly research that addressed the continent’s unique challenges while creating sustainable and locally adaptable business models.
According to him, another key area is disruptive technology, where researchers are encouraged to explore transformative innovations in a responsible and ethical manner.
He also highlighted sustainable architecture, calling for the integration of indigenous knowledge with modern environmental solutions to create buildings that were both functional and eco-friendly.
He said other focus areas included socio-legal research tailored to Nigeria’s legal and social contexts, and the development of ethical AI frameworks to ensure technology was deployed in ways that upheld human dignity.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of interdisciplinary research, especially using AI to break down barriers between academic fields and accelerate meaningful discoveries.
He stressed the school’s commitment to strengthening industry partnerships, promoting ethical innovation and deepening global collaboration.
Bamidele urged postgraduate students to be bold and committed, encouraging them to challenge the status quo and engage in research capable of transforming their communities.
He also encouraged faculty members to continue mentoring with integrity and innovation, inspiring the next generation of scholars.
In his keynote address, Professor Victor Dugga, shed light on several pressing challenges confronting postgraduate education and research in Nigeria and across Africa.
He emphasised the persistent issue of funding, noting an over-reliance on erratic government support and foreign grants.
He thpse external funds, while sometimes helpful, were frequently misaligned with local needs and priorities, resulting in projects that did not effectively address the continent’s developmental goals.
Dugga, a Provost of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lafia, also pointed to severe infrastructure deficits that continued to hinder academic and research progress.
He highlighted poor electricity supply, limited internet access, and inadequate laboratory facilities as critical barriers that restrict the ability of postgraduate students and researchers to engage in cutting-edge scientific work.
According to him, these deficiencies not only delay research timelines but also discourage innovation and limit global competitiveness.
Another major concern, he raised was the industry-academia gap, where weak collaboration between universities and the private sector had stifled the commercialisation of research outcomes.
“Additionally, the ongoing brain drain, driven by better pay and working conditions abroad, is depriving African institutions of their brightest minds.”
According to Dugga, these challenges require urgent and coordinated action to create a more robust and self-sustaining postgraduate education and research ecosystem on the continent.
Quoting a World Bank report (2002), Dugga warned that developing countries risked further marginalisation in the global economy if their tertiary education systems were not equipped to harness knowledge creation and use.
He said that innovative research in African universities was not a future goal, but a current necessity.
“With resilience, creativity, and a focus on sustainability, African universities can lead the way in redefining inclusive and equitable development in the 21st century,” Dugga said.(NAN)