ABSTRACT
The research work concerns with the study of the impact and roles of in-house professionals in the planning and development of University physical facilities in some selected Nigerian Universities, notably; the Federal University of Technology, Yola, and the University of Maiduguri. The National Universities Commission is the main body through which the Federal Government of Nigeria channel funds into the University system. The National Universities Commission (N.U.C) which has the statutory responsibility to advise the Government on the physical needs and financing of capital projects in the Universities, has prepared some standard procedures and guidelines to be adopted by the Universities in their development strategies. The Universities on their part established Physical Planning Units (P.P.U) under the Central Administration to be in-charged with the responsibilities for the planning and implementation of the physical developments of the Universities. This is in contrast with some of the older and fairly developed Universities (so called first generation Universities), where the Estate Departments handle all aspects of developments and maintenance of the Universities physical facilities. The physical development of any University consists of the developments of buildings and infrastructures adequate for academic purposes. This include the planning, designing, budgetting, construction, supervision and co-ordination of the developmental needs such as teaching spaces, social and communial facilities, roads, water, electricity supply, staff and students residential facilities, etc. The Physical Planning Units of the Universities visited were found to have some group of professionals of varied desciplines on the permanent employment of the Universities. These group of professionals are found to be engaged in one type of work or the other depending on the Calibre of the professionals and the schedule of duties defined for them by the University Administration. The research work thoroughly examines the roles of the professionals in the development of projects in the Universities. The work also examines the possible roles of professionals (notably in the field of construction) employed as lecturers, researchers, etc . , with a view of finding how the services of such professionals (in the academics) could be utilize d in the development and implementation of physical projects in the Universities. Impact of in-house professionals on some selected projects were also assessed with respect to efficiency of execution and project cost. The research work not only revealed how the various Universities (selected) implement t heir development projects using their in-house staff, but has also highlighted the vision of the National Universities Commission (N.U.C) in the development strategies of the University system. Besides, it has also brought out in clear terms, the benefits merits and demerits associated with the engagement of consultants by the Universities. It is suggested t h a t , given the enormous man-power and technical resources with the University system, the ability of the Universities to look inward and make use of the competent staff within the system (be they in the Academics or Non-academics) would no doubt proof to be advantageous and may even provide some savings to the meagre resources available to the Universities.
