Last Updated on July 21, 2026 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
… As DAP Trains Staff, FURAC Members
By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Rasheed Amisu
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has intensified efforts in strengthening its position among leading universities in Nigeria and globally through a strategic roadmap aimed at improving its performance in international university rankings. The initiative was emphasised today, July 20, 2026, during a capacity-building training organised by the Directorate of Academic Planning (DAP) for its staff members, the FUNAAB Ranking Advisory Committee (FURAC), and other key staff.
Delivering the keynote presentation, the University’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Resource Person, Prof. Adeniyi Olayanju, provided participants with in-depth insights into the criteria, methodologies and institutional strategies required to improve the University’s global visibility and competitiveness. He stressed that the United Nations SDGs, anchored on the principle of “Leave No One Behind,” should serve as a framework for inclusive institutional development and sustainable growth.
Prof. Olayanju, a former Vice-Chancellor of Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, described a world-class university as one that creates and disseminates knowledge across diverse disciplines, delivers quality education that addresses societal needs, and produces impactful research capable of advancing national development and the global public good. According to him, FUNAAB already possesses many of these qualities and should strategically build on its strengths to attain greater international recognition.
He explained that global university rankings are largely driven by excellence in teaching, research output, citations, community engagement, institutional reputation and international outlook. He further noted that highly ranked universities are distinguished by sound governance, robust research funding, strong international collaborations, favourable staff-to-student ratios and effective knowledge transfer mechanisms.
The Facilitator also introduced participants to major international ranking systems, including the Academic Ranking of World Class Universities (ARWU) now known as Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ranking (SJTUR), Webometrics, Repositories Rankings and the Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings, with particular emphasis on THE Rankings, which currently serve as FUNAAB’s primary ranking focus. He explained that THE evaluates institutions through its World University Rankings, Impact Rankings, Young University Rankings and Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings using indicators covering teaching, research, citation impact, international outlook and industry income.
Highlighting the University’s achievements, Prof. Olayanju disclosed that FUNAAB emerged second in Nigeria and 26th in Sub-Saharan Africa in the maiden Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings, while also placing fifth nationally during its first participation in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. He noted that the University possesses significant strengths in several SDGs, including Zero Hunger, Quality Education, No Poverty, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, Life on Land, and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
He emphasised that ranking organisations rely heavily on publicly available evidence, urging all Colleges, Departments, Institutes, Centres and Directorates to consistently document and publicise their activities on official University platforms.
The presenter also identified challenges affecting institutional ranking efforts, including difficulties in gathering data, inadequate collaboration among some units, rising participation costs for international rankings and funding constraints. He, therefore, encouraged all stakeholders to provide timely information, support institutional documentation and ensure adequate budgetary provisions for ranking-related activities. He further recommended benchmarking against leading institutions to adopt best practices capable of enhancing FUNAAB’s competitiveness.
In his remarks, the Director, DAP, Prof. Biodun Badmus, commended Prof. Olayanju for the insightful presentation, describing it as timely and highly beneficial. He noted that the training had provided participants with a clearer understanding of the University’s ranking aspirations and expressed confidence that the knowledge acquired would simplify the collection and deployment of ranking metrics. He added that the Directorate would continue to engage experts as the University refines its strategies for improved global visibility.
Also speaking, the Director of the Directorate of Academic Information Systems (DACIS), Prof. Olusegun Folorunso, lauded the presentation and advocated for the circulation of the presentation materials to facilitate continuous learning and implementation. He stressed that FUNAAB possesses the intellectual capacity required to compete globally, noting that improved institutional packaging, strategic documentation and greater visibility would significantly enhance the University’s ranking performance. He further urged members of the University Community to harness the expertise of distinguished scholars within the institution while fostering stronger collaboration to showcase FUNAAB’s strengths to the global academic community.
The Head, Quality Assurance Unit, Prof. Saliu Amolegbe, also applauded the initiative, describing the training as an eye-opener that had provided a practical roadmap for achieving higher global rankings. Similarly, the Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), Prof. Oluwagbemiga Adeleye, and the Ag. Director of the Directorate of Information and Communication Technology Services (DICTS), Mr. Temitope Soretire, made valuable contributions, emphasising the need for sustained teamwork, improved institutional documentation, digital visibility and collective commitment to position FUNAAB among the top-ranked universities in future global rankings.
