STUDENT PERCEPTION OF RESEARCH CAPACITY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS IN SELECTED NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research work is aimed at assessing the research capacity of chemical engineering departments in selected Nigeria Universities. Thirty-three universities were selected for the survey based on the criteria of running accredited chemical engineering programs. A framework designed to measure specific KPIs or dimensions was developed and adapted to a questionnaire. The 37- item questionnaire was administered to students online with responses downloaded from the web portal for cleaning, coding and analysis using Microsoft excel software program. The coded responses were analyzed using percentages, mean, variance, and ANOVA. 56 out of the 60 responses received were found to be valid. The responses received were grouped into undergraduate and postgraduate respondents. The administered questionnaires had high internal consistencies with Cronbach alpha values of 0.8898, 0.8525 and 0.8994 for all, undergraduate and postgraduate responses. The responses were analyzed using three key performance indicators (KPIs) namely: (a) research infrastructure, dissemination, (b) knowledge translation and research applicability and (c) empowerment, skills, and confidence. The means for research infrastructure range from 3.6607 to 4.0714, 3.6176 to 3.8529 and 3.7273 to 4.5455 for all, undergraduate and postgraduate respondents respectively. Quite a number of the undergraduate respondents are neutral with respect to each dimension of the research infrastructure while the postgraduate respondent’s perception is that achieving peer recognition is not a motivation for conducting research. On average, the respondents agree with all the dimensions for knowledge translation and research applicability. The empowerment, skills, and confidence mean values range from 3.4643 to 4.2500, 3.2353 to 4.1765 and 3.7727 to 4.4091 for all, undergraduate and postgraduate respondents respectively. These imply that, on average, the undergraduate and postgraduate respondents view of this KPI differ.