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+234 802 086 5276ATBU, Gubi Campus, along Kano Roadcl-spesse@atbu.edu.ng
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+234 802 086 5276ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA UNIVERSITY
SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL STANDARDS
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
RESEARCH POLICY
1 Introduction
This policy establishes the research environment within which members of the academic staff (hereunder referred to as 'Faculty') and students carry out their research. It also provides an all- encompassing framework for the development and implementation of all research management at the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Centre of Excellence (hereunder referred to as 'the Centre') of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (hereunder referred to as 'the University').
Necessarily, the Centre's research approach will be multidisciplinary in scope and will cover pure and applied natural and social sciences. The Centre will closely work with all stakeholders (project beneficiaries, policy makers, development partners, research institutes and civil society) in identifying and resolving emerging challenges that may affect entrenchment of best practices in procurement, environmental and social standards in Nigeria.
The research strategy of the Centre will be based on addressing challenges that constraint capacity development of stakeholders involved in implementation of the World Bank's environmental and safety framework as well as Nigeria’s environmental impact assessment act and related national and international standards. The Centre will also focus on research activities that would resolve policy, legal, regulatory and institutional challenges that constitute a barrier to procurement,
environmental and social standards in Nigeria. The Centre shall also develop context-specific educational tools for dissemination of knowledge and skills in procurement, environmental and social standards.
This policy became effective on the seventeenth day of February, two thousand and twenty two.
2 Disambiguation
This Policy is intended to be complementary to the research policy (and other relevant laws, rules and regulations) of the University. Therefore, in case of any conflict the policy of the University supersedes.
3 Objectives
The specific objectives of the research plan of the Centre are as follows:
i. To understand and characterize the existing procurement, environmental and social standards in Nigeria.
ii. To identify the key challenges limiting the implementation of the World Bank's environmental and social framework (ESF) in Nigeria.
iii. To develop country-specific industry standards that will mirror the World Bank’s ESF and best international industry practice.
iv. To consistently evolve novel methods towards improved procurement, environmental and social standards.
v. To develop and adopt effective strategies and methods necessary for achieving these objectives.
4 Policy Content and Guidelines
4.1 Requirement to Undertake Research
Faculty and students of the Centre are required to carry out research and/or creative activities that are appropriate to their discipline while engaging in other obligations such as teaching, learning and administrative responsibilities.
4.2 Statutory and Ethics Obligations
i. Faculty and students are required to carry out their research in compliance with all the Centre's and University’s obligations under legislation and any ethical and contractual obligations.
ii. Research projects that involve human or animal subjects must be approved, beforehand, by the University's ethical committee.
4.3 Research Management
Research activities of the Centre will be overseen by a research steering committee.
4.3.1 Composition of the Research Steering Committee
i. Centre Leader (Chairman)
ii. Deputy Centre Leaders
iii. Applied Research Coordinator
iv. One industrial partner.
v. One Academic partner.
vi. One other sectorial partner.
4.3.2 Functions of the Research Steering Committee
i. Evaluation and recommendation of research proposals.
ii. Securing and managing funds to support approved research projects.
iii. Monitoring and evaluation of implementation of research projects.
iv. Identifying and informing researchers about appropriate research opportunities that may be available from external sources.
v. Developing rules, procedures and guidelines for granting research grants and dissemination of research output.
vi. Preparing and implementing research quality assurance mechanism for ensuring that research activities of the Centre conform to standard quality specifications.
4.4 Resources in Support of Research
i. The Centre shall create and administer a research fund for supporting and facilitating research initiatives and projects of Faculty and students, including support for disseminating research output.
ii. The Centre shall provide laboratory, field and other facilities to support research.
4.5 Publication and Intellectual Property
i. Faculty and students of the Centre are required to comply with the University’s intellectual
property and patent policies.
ii. Subject to the provisions of the University’s intellectual property policy, the research output of the Centre shall be disseminated through publications, conferences and other relevant media.
4.6 Contract/Collaborative Research and Consultancy Service
i. The Centre will also deploy its expertise in responding to calls to address community issues and private sector challenges by conducting contract/collaborative research and by providing consultancy service.
ii. These commissioned research projects would be executed using leveraged funds from the proponents.
iii. Faculty and students of the Centre, who participate in such projects, will be compensated, financially, according to the sharing formula in the University's condition of service.