By: Tijani Salako.

Lately, I’ve found myself tangled in the web of academia, having spent a significant part of my career navigating the practical media studies and its theoretical education. My perspective has gradually shifted, revealing the essential chemistry that should bind the academic world with professional industries. However, academic exercises over the years, especially the final year project, have been viewed as tiny routine hurdles and a mere box to tick on the journey toward academic graduation.

Nigeria, as a developing nation, boasts a rich network of educational institutions such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, which spread across its six geopolitical zones. In these institutions, students undertake various courses capable of transforming our socio-economic realities and producing professionals equipped with problem-solving skills. However, there seems to be a gap between what is researched in academia and what is practically applied in industry, just like the parlance in the industry will say, “you learn while in the field.”

Unfortunately, the connection between what students’ research and what industries need remains underdeveloped in conversations I’ve had with a few industry leaders, and from personal observations, one phenomenon stands out, which is that industry players rarely consult, integrate, and utilize academic projects as a tool for innovation, operational development, especially the undergraduate final-year research. This is quite surprising, considering the intellectual effort both students and supervisors invest in these works. Sadly, the feedback I received from these professionals was revealing, even disappointing. It emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to reconsider and reform its approach to academic research through targeted policies and oversight.

According to these stakeholders, many students fail to fully grasp the importance of academic projects. The critical sections of their research, especially the methodology and data analysis, are often weak and void at times. The reliability of data is also in question, as students sometimes manipulate survey responses by filling out their own questionnaires multiple times to meet sample size requirements.

This reminded me of a questionnaire I once saw from a student at a prestigious institution. The questionnaire was intended for laboratory experts, yet it was distributed to randomly educated individuals with no lab experience. This misalignment not only discredits the data but defeats the purpose of the research itself, what a challenge that we need to battle within the duo industry, it is even occurred that most times people of intended project do not willing to fill most questionnaires that are directly to their discipline, some intentionally ignored, some do not trust the purpose of the research, and some out of negligence sees no values for the research.

One of my lecturers once remarked, “Most of you don’t even write the project yourself, you prefer machinery, some can’t even consult a textbook for research properly, you just run to the internet to copy and paste.” He was right. With the rise of AI tools and quick-access platforms like Google, students are now less inclined to think critically or strain their minds. Although we cannot ignore the role of technology in shaping the modern research experience. The rise of digital tools, search engines, and even artificial intelligence has significantly changed how students approach their projects. I recall asking my uncle, who holds a master’s in Islamic Studies, for general knowledge on project writing, with some parts of my project chapters. I even confessed to using the internet to supplement my research. While online sources can support learning, they can also encourage laziness or intellectual shortcuts, with often no substitute for genuine intellectual inquiry.

My understanding of what academic project writing truly entails only deepened when my supervisor held me accountable. Perhaps it was due to how casually I approached the work in the past, but she pushed me beyond my comfort zone. That turning point revealed to me that project writing is not just about ticking boxes, it’s about learning to think independently, to investigate, and to contribute something of value with practical solutions and required experience.

Beyond individual shortcomings, another reason why undergraduate research often lacks credibility in the eyes of professionals is the limited scope and depth of the work. Many final-year projects don’t meet the practical needs of industries. The tight timelines, standard industrial formats, and superficial analyses all contribute to this disconnection. No wonder many students forget their entire research process shortly after submission.

That said, these challenges are valid but should not be a reason for industries to dismiss undergraduate research altogether. Rather, I propose that the government create a policy-driven framework that encourages active collaboration between academia and industry. A mechanism should exist through which industries can outline specific challenges that academic researchers, especially the graduating students, can address.

In the field of mass communication, we often say, You can’t communicate.” In the same spirit, there should be more visible, practical platforms, not just roundtable discussions where industries regularly communicate their pressing problems. These issues can then be addressed through structured research projects. Such synergy would be beneficial on multiple fronts.

The industries would gain solutions tailored to their challenges, while students who work on real-world problems would develop sharper skills and better career prospects. It would also promote innovation and increase the number of industry-ready experts across fields. Lastly, academic project writing, particularly at the undergraduate level, should no longer be treated as a mere graduation requirement. It is a potential engine for national development if only government and industry stakeholders are willing to rethink, reform, and reconnect with the academic community.