The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has affirmed the institution's determination to compete effectively on the world stage. She urged academic staff to pursue research that meets rigorous peer review standards and achieves international recognition.
Emphasis on Merit and Objectivity
“Publication, peer review and promotion are at the heart of what we do as academics. Promotion has to be earned,” Ogunsola stated during a town hall meeting aimed at aligning UNILAG's processes with global academic norms. The event, held at the J.F. Ade Ajayi (Main) Auditorium, provided a platform for faculty to discuss proposed changes to the decade-old appraisal system.
Ogunsola explained that the meeting followed a Senate resolution mandating the Appointments and Promotions Committee (APC) to review the current framework. She noted that the existing system had become outdated and no longer matched global standards. “One of the reasons we called this meeting is to hear from you. The new appraisal system will prevent the weaponisation of promotion against junior colleagues and reduce the margin of error that subjectivity allowed in the old system,” she said.
Faculty Feedback and Reforms
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research), Prof. Matthew Ilori, presented findings from a Visitation Panel on the Publication Assessment System. He reported that over 60% of faculties supported implementing the new scoring system within the current session, while about 40% preferred delaying it until the next academic year.
During an interactive session, staff raised concerns about the timing of the transition and the overall promotion timeline. In response, Ogunsola announced that the new scoring system would be postponed to the next academic session, a decision that received thunderous applause from attendees.
Digital Visibility and Incentives
University Librarian Prof. Christopher Okiki outlined efforts to enhance UNILAG's digital presence. He urged academics to regularly upload their work to the UNILAG Repository, which is synced with Google for optimal search visibility and citation rankings. He also encouraged supervisors to advise their research students to cite relevant works by their supervisors in theses.
Ogunsola further revealed that the university is exploring frameworks to incentivize academics who publish in top-tier Q1 journals, reinforcing the commitment to global competitiveness.
