CERTAIN EDUCATORY FACTORS AS INDICATES OF INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

A crucial criterion for evaluating the caliber and efficacy of college or university is intellectual development. Concerns regarding graduates' level of intellectual engagement, analytical proficiency, and inventive ability continue to exist in Nigerian public universities, prompting inquiries into the educatory factors that support intellectual development. This paper investigates the calibre of faculty and connection between caliber of faculty and students' intellectual development in Nigerian public universities. The study used a quantitative, correlational survey design with a population of all undergraduate and faculty at 135 Nigerian public universities. The sample comprised 1,200 respondents selected through multi-stage sampling technique from six selected public universities in the country. Questionnaire titled Educatory Factors Assessment Questionnaire (EFAQ) with reliability index of 0.87. and 0.91 reliability for faculty calibre and Intellectual Development Scale (IDS) respectively index was used to elevate responses from the respondents. The study found majority of faculty in Nigerian public universities are holders of PhD, followed by master's or M.Phil. while very few are holders of bachelor's degree. In addition, a statistically significant, robust, and positive relationships was established between faculty calibre and student intellectual development. The study concluded that teaching experience and faculty credentials accurately predict students' intellectual development, which in turn improves critical thinking, problem-solving, reflective judgment, engagement, and self-directed learning. These factors have a direct impact on academic success in public universities in Nigeria.