By Yusuf Kabir Roni
The Committee of Provosts and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools (CPDPGCS) has called on Nigerian universities to revamp postgraduate education to drive socio-economic transformation and national development.
The 67th meeting of CPDPGCS, held at Lead City University, Ibadan, from March 29 to April 1, 2026, identified key challenges facing postgraduate education, including inadequate research infrastructure, limited funding access, weak interdisciplinary collaboration, and weak linkages between academic research and industry needs.
According to a communique jointly signed by the Chairman of CPDPGCS, Professor Victor S. Dugga, and Professor Sonnie J. Oniye, the meeting also noted the proliferation of postgraduate programmes amid doubts about quality, relevance, and global competitiveness, as well as fragile quality assurance mechanisms and outdated curricula.
The committee resolved to prioritize multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, strengthen governance with emphasis on integrity, accountability, and academic leadership, and review programmes to align with national and global priorities.
The committee mandated training in research methodology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and called for the establishment of postgraduate research grant funds and stronger university-industry-government ties through the Triple Helix model.
Prof. Victor S. Dugga, Chairman of CPDPGCS, emphasized the need for Nigerian universities to transition from degree-awarding institutions to knowledge-producing systems, resource-dependent entities to innovation-driven hubs, and isolated academia to collaborative ecosystems.
The committee noted that the implications of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement on postgraduate allowances must be addressed, and urged Deans and Provosts to lead discussions in their universities on implementing the agreement, including additional costs for postgraduate students.
The meeting featured presentations by renowned academics, including Prof. Olufemi Adebisi Bamiro, Prof. Oyedunni S. Arulogun, Prof. Monsuru Adeleke, and Prof. Oliver Ezechi, who highlighted the need for innovation, research, and excellence in postgraduate education.
The committee affirmed that postgraduate education must evolve beyond degree conferral to produce scholars equipped to solve real-world societal problems, and called on government to bolster policy support, funding frameworks, and regulatory flexibility, while university leadership should enact bold reforms in governance and academic culture.
The committee also called on academic staff to uphold integrity, mentorship, and research excellence, and the industry and private sector to partner with universities for innovation and national development.