The Vice-Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Professor Mohammed Hadi Sulaiman, has described the Institution’s maiden Postgraduate Supervisors’ Workshop as a historic step towards repositioning its postgraduate education for global competitiveness.

Declaring the workshop open through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Mohammed Aliyu Bello, Professor Sulaiman said the theme, “Fast-Tracking Postgraduate Programmess Through Adoption of Global Best Practices”, was both timely and relevant as universities worldwide were rethinking the structure, content, and supervision of postgraduate programs in response to emerging global trends and societal needs.

The Vice-Chancellor stressed that postgraduate education plays a pivotal role in innovation, knowledge dissemination, and national development, but faces persistent challenges such as supervision delays, low publication output, and inadequate research funding.

He explained that the workshop was designed to equip supervisors with modern supervision techniques, digital tools, and ethical guidelines that can accelerate postgraduate delivery without compromising quality.

Professor Sulaiman noted that IBBU was implementing series of reforms, including digitizing processes, curriculum review, training of supervisors, and policy adjustments to enhance research output and timely completion.

The Vice Chancellor commended the School of Postgraduate Studies for initiating the annual workshop, appreciating the contributions of internal and external resource persons as well as the support of Niger State Governor, Farmer Governor Umar Muhammad Bago, for his investment in tertiary education.

Earlier, the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, Professor MohammedAbubakar Mawoli, expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and the entire Management for their support, noting that the workshop would serve as a platform for certifying supervisors, refining policies, and addressing operational gaps.

He announced reforms including virtual oral examinations, appointment of external supervisors, examination computation software, and digitized course registration.

The workshop featured three key technical sessions with Professor of Agricultural Economy at Federal University of Technology Professor Michael Akindele Ojo who delivered an in-depth paper on the theme, “Fast-Tracking Postgraduate Programs Through Global Best Practices,” highlighting practical models for improving supervision efficiency and aligning programs with international standards.

On his part, IBBUL’s Director of Quality Assurance, Professor Ebenezer Ogungbe, spoke on “Understanding Policies and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Postgraduate Programs”, offering insights into aligning institutional procedures with regulatory benchmarks for better outcomes.

Also Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, examined, “Ethical Considerations in Using Artificial Intelligence for Educational Purposes from a Postgraduate Research Perspective”, stressing responsible AI adoption to maintain integrity and originality in research.

The resource persons underscored the importance of effective supervision, student-centered mentorship, adherence to ethical standards, and international collaboration in enhancing the quality and timeliness of postgraduate research.

They encouraged supervisors to engage regularly with their students, provide clear research direction, and adopt strategies that foster timely completion while maintaining high academic standards.