By Waziri Isa Adam
The University of Lagos has postponed the implementation of its revised academic appraisal system to the next academic session, after academic staff requested more time for preparation during a Town Hall meeting with management.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Choice, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, disclosed this on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium during a meeting convened to engage academic staff from all faculties on proposed modifications to UNILAG’s decade-old promotion and appraisal framework, following a Senate resolution mandating the Appointments and Promotions Committee to review the system.
Prof. Ogunsola said the current appraisal system, unchanged for 10 years, was no longer at par with global academic benchmarks. She explained that the review aims to enhance objectivity, prevent the “weaponization of promotion against junior colleagues,” and reduce subjectivity that previously disadvantaged hardworking staff.
“Publication, peer review, and promotion are at the heart of what we do as academics. Promotion has to be earned,” she said, adding that UNILAG must compete effectively with global peers since “academia is never insular.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics & Research, Prof. Matthew Ilori, presented the Visitation Panel report on the Publication Assessment System. He said over 60% of faculties supported immediate implementation within the current session, while about 40% preferred to delay until the next session. The presentation was followed by an interactive session where staff raised concerns on transition timing and promotion timelines.
In a related development, University Librarian, Prof. Christopher Okiki, announced measures to improve UNILAG’s digital footprint. He urged academics to upload their research to the UNILAG Repository, which is fully synced with Google for better visibility and citation ranking. He also advised supervisors to encourage research students to cite relevant works by their supervisors in theses.
Prof. Ogunsola, while responding to feedback, announced the postponement of the new assessment system and said the University is exploring incentives for academics who publish in prestigious Q1 journals.
The Town Hall ended with applause from staff, signaling consensus toward enhancing global academic excellence.
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