The Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) is set to establish an international research journal as part of efforts to strengthen research, academic writing and scholarly publication among members of its academic community.
The Director of Research, Innovation and Development of the University, Prof. Aminu Dalhat Kankia, disclosed this in an interview with the FUDMA Weekly News Bulletin.
Prof. Kankia, who assumed office on June 1, 2026, said establishing a standard research journal would be one of his major priorities at the Directorate.
He said the proposed journal would be developed to meet international standards and provide researchers across different academic disciplines with a platform to publish their scholarly works.
According to him, the journal would not be restricted to a particular discipline but would accommodate research contributions across the University’s various fields of academic endeavour.
“I want to leave a legacy of a Standard Research Journal. I want to leave the legacy of introducing a journal before I leave office,” he said.
Prof. Kankia disclosed that a request had already been forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mohammed Khalid Othman, seeking funding support for academic staff towards the production of research journals.
He also announced plans to organise regular seminars for academic staff as part of efforts to improve research capacity, academic writing and publication among FUDMA scholars.
He said the Vice-Chancellor had approved the organisation of a seminar for academic staff at the University’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Smart Laboratory.
The seminar, he explained, would be the beginning of a series of academic development activities designed to enhance research capacity among members of the academic community.
Prof. Kankia said the Directorate intended to organise such seminars preferably once every three months, which would translate to about four seminars during each academic session.
He explained that the Directorate coordinates several Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) interventions designed to support research, academic development, staff training and institutional growth.
Among the interventions, he listed Staff Conference Attendance, Institutional-Based Research (IBR), conversion of academic manuscripts into books and Academic Staff Training and Development programmes.
On the IBR programme, Prof. Kankia disclosed that FUDMA had received approval for about 35 research projects, which were awaiting the disbursement of funds.
He described the development as a significant boost to research activities at the University, stressing that research remained central to the development and advancement of any university.
He further disclosed that nine academic books authored by FUDMA staff had so far been published through a TETFund-supported intervention for the conversion of academic manuscripts into books.
According to him, the intervention was important because many professors and senior lecturers had manuscripts developed over the years but lacked the resources to publish them.
He said TETFund provides funding to facilitate the publication and wider circulation of such academic works.
On academic staff development, the Director said the Directorate coordinates Academic Staff Training and Development programmes, which provide teaching staff with opportunities to further their academic qualifications and pursue other forms of professional development, subject to applicable guidelines and approval processes.
He added that the Directorate also plays important roles in University committees, including the University Senate Committee, Senate Business Committee and Provost, Deans and Directors Committee, among others.
Prof. Kankia said the Directorate also sensitises academic staff on relevant academic issues and coordinates training programmes designed to strengthen their capacity.
He explained that applications for TETFund-supported interventions are screened in accordance with established guidelines, with successful candidates forwarded to TETFund for final consideration and approval.
The Director expressed optimism that the renewed activities of the Directorate would strengthen the research culture at FUDMA and enhance the University’s contribution to scholarship and academic development.
