Candidates for PhD in the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) may now heave a sign of relief as there are indications that the University management has concluded plans to reverse the policy that requires publication of research articles in high impact journals as part of doctoral thesis assessment before one can graduate successfully.
Prime Business Africa gathered that the school has concluded plans to drop that requirement said to have contributed to the delay in completion of PhD programes by some set of students.
This comes days after Prime Business Africa reported that UNN plans to start disengaging overstayed postgraduate students in line with extant university regulations which stipulate maximum number of years for various Postgraduate programmes.
According to a memo addressed to all Heads of Departments, directors of centres/Institutes, signed by the Acting Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, UNN, Prof. Obioma Njoku, the deadline is 31 March 2024 for candidates who have been running postgraduate programmes since 2016/17, 2017/18 academic sessions.
As part of efforts to improve standards for graduation of PhD students, the University authorities had made it a requirement to improve the quality of work done as those high impact journals are not run off the mill platform but renowned for the high intellectual value of research articles they publish.
“Over the course of 24 hours ago, I heard that the University is rescinding that decision to compel students to publish in impact factor journals before they get their PhD,” a source who does not want to be mentioned said.
He asserted that the principle which has been in force for some years now, though contributed to the delay of some people in completing their programmes as at when due, brought an element of seriousness and commitment to rigorous research that the PhD programme demands.
Impact factor was introduced in the school in 2006 to standardize and improve the quality of research publications. Apart from being used as one of the criteria for assessment of doctoral thesis, it is also part of the criteria for appointment and promotion of academic staff.
The decision to drop that policy for PhD candidates may be as a result of the resolve of the University management to remove obstacles on the part of the system that cause delays in programme completion.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
