Exploring Nigerian universities’ internal quality assurance practices for improving research outputs

Abstract

Nigerian universities generally perform below expectations in the quality and quantity of research outputs and there is no internal quality assurance framework for enhancing research outputs in most universities. This study was aimed at examining Nigerian universities’ internal quality assurance practices for improving the research outputs and the constraints to these practices with a view to recommending a model for better institutional research quality assurance practices. To pursue these aims, six research questions and two theories framed the study. Mixed methods multiple case study approach was used. Two high-performing and two low-performing universities were selected using diverse case selection method. Ten participants consisting of Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Directors of Research and Quality Assurance (QA); and 220 lecturers participated in an in-depth interview and questionnaire survey respectively. The interview transcripts, documents and survey data were analysed using thematic approach and descriptive statistics. It was found that three out of four case universities had research policies while one had a quality assurance policy and most of other relevant policies to support research. Directorates of Research and of QA were common structures in universities but the latter’s activities excluded research. The practices used by most universities to improve research tend to exclude essential elements in input, process and output dimensions of research quality. The study revealed that high- and low-performing universities differ in internal quality assurance practices for improving research. The high performers are inclined to more comprehensive and better practices that target research input, process and output; and gathering and using relevant information to improve research. They also have more positive impact of their IQA practices than the low performers. It was further revealed that external quality assurance mechanisms of the National Universities Commission (NUC) positively affect universities’ internal quality assurance practices in most of the universities but impact negatively on IQA processes in low-performing universities due to lack of follow-up on IQA matters. Internal and external factors such as lack of IQA structure, insufficient technical support, unpopularity of QA mechanisms, inadequate commitment of top university management, inadequate funding; and government bureaucracy and poor funding were constraints to universities’ IQA practices for research improvement. Systematic University Research Quality Improvement Model (SURQIM) is recommended since it uses systems approach to entrench university’s research transformation elements into the IQA of research and also provides a means of assessing and improving research in Nigerian universities through leadership commitment.