CHALLENGES RELATING TO UNDERTAKING ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS OF AFRICA

Abstract

Research in tertiary institutions of Africa, especially postgraduate research, is expected to guide educational institutions, government and policy makers, and the society as whole, in taking decisions as new facts and knowledge are discovered through the activity. However, the research process is bedeviled by an enormous amount of challenges, which have lowered its tempo of execution. These challenges have been grouped into institution-, supervisor-, and student-related challenges. Generally however, poor research funding, poor research culture, poor time management, and supervisors’ lackadaisical attitude towards research supervision, arising from lack of interest in students, poor remuneration system, as well as poor research skills and knowledge, have been discussed. Relying heavily on literature, it is generally accepted that these challenges need an attitude change. The paper has therefore, recommended among others, that there is need for training and retraining of researchers and supervisors, research guidelines need to be provided to both undergraduate and postgraduate students whose provisions must be adhered to by students so as to reduce the burden of supervision, and for newly qualified supervisors, there is need for conscientious mentoring by old and experienced researchers.