ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN KNOWLEDGE CLUSTER STRATEGY WITH ACCREDITATION FOR MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARD, STAFF TRAINING/DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH/ PUBLICATIONS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES?

Abstract

The importance of knowledge-based economy has become a reality to all nations of the world
through knowledge creation, sharing and application. The objective of this study was to
investigate the influence of knowledge cluster strategy on quality assurance practices
(accreditation of academic standard; training and development and research and publication) of
universities in North-West Geographical Zone in Nigeria. Hypotheses were formulated in
accordance with the objectives of the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for the
study to collect data using constructed questionnaire which was prepared and validated by
experts in Educational Administration and Planning. The population of the study was made up
of 102 Quality Assurance officials, 170 Management Staff and 7,346 academic staff of the
universities in North-West Geographical Zone of Nigeria. Proportionate sampling technique
was used to select the sample size of 659 respondents from the sampled universities in North-
West Geographical Zone, Nigeria. The data was analysed in frequency counts and percentage.
The formulated hypotheses of the study were tested using Analysis of Variance and the Post-
Hoc Analysis with Scheffe test at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there
were no significant differences between knowledge cluster and accreditation of academic
minimum standard (P = 008; 0.05 sig. level); staff training and development (P = 298; 0.05 sig.
level); and research and publication (P = 519; 0.05 sig. level) in universit ies in North-West
Geographical Zone, Nigeria. This indicated that the P-values were higher than 0.05 level of
significance. The study concluded that knowledge cluster strategy influenced quality assurance
practices of Universities in North-West Geographical Zone in Nigeria. However, this study
recommended that all universities in North-west, Nigeria should maintain the adoption of
knowledge cluster strategy to enhance quality assurance practices through integration of course
contents, course duration and curriculum compliance.