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55 - Undergraduate Research in Nigeria

First Achievements and a Need for More Concerted Research on UR

from Part IV.2 - Africa & Middle East

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2022

By
Jonathan Adedayo Odukoya
Edited by
Harald A. Mieg ,
Elizabeth Ambos ,
Angela Brew ,
Dominique Galli  and
Judith Lehmann
Harald A. Mieg
Affiliation:
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Elizabeth Ambos
Affiliation:
Council on Undergraduate Research, Washington DC
Angela Brew
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Sydney
Dominique Galli
Affiliation:
Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis
Judith Lehmann
Affiliation:
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Summary

Experience in teaching and supervising undergraduate research projects for over two decades has shown that undergraduate research (UR) in Nigeria could hardly be said to be taken seriously. However, in recent times, several private initiatives have begun to establish a promising trend in UR in the country. For instance, there are curricular spaces for UR in Nigeria. Under the strict guidelines of the National University Commission (NUC), many Nigerian institutions include a course on research methods within the undergraduate curriculum. The NUC policy is to allow undergraduate students ample experience of conducting meaningful research. This chapter presents best practices in UR at Covenant University as well as the Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) small grant projects.

Keywords

Nigeriaundergraduate researchprivate universitiescertificationcorruptionEducational Research Network for West and Central Africaresearch-based non-governmental organizations
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research , pp. 508 - 515
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

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