Exploring Collaborative Experiences, National Research Fund and Community of Research Groups

Insights from Public Universities in Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores the collaborative experiences of Ekiti State public university researchers within the National Research Fund (NRF)-based Community of Research Groups (CoRGs) during the 2024 Grant cycle. A purposive sampling technique selected two public universities in Ekiti state, Nigeria. These universities set up research groups to reinforce winning NRF grants for the 2024 cycle year. Furthermore, the research groups expanded into a Community of Research Group (CoRG), with eight of the initial sixteen groups participating. The choice of qualitative methods is grounded in the need to capture the depth and complexity of researchers' experiences, which are best understood through social interaction and collaborative-based narrative accounts. On this premise, Vygotsky’s (1978) ideology on social interaction forms the basis for collecting data for this study. Data were collected through Focus Group discussions comprising sixteen CoRG groups based on a qualitative research design. The research was categorised into Science, Humanities, and Cross-cutting disciplines. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal the critical role of collaboration dynamics, institutional support, and interpersonal social interactive communication in the success of applying for NRF groups. Additionally, the study highlights the contributions of these collaborations to advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on quality higher education in Education, Science and Technology. The implications for enhancing future NRF collaborations are discussed, with the authors’ recommendations for developing and sustaining the Community of Research Groups in the Nigerian university system while aligning research objectives with global educational goals.