10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

Public universities in North East, Nigeria encounter significant challenges due to the insecurity stemming from the Boko Haram insurgency. These issues have potential to impede their capacity to ensure a secure learning environment and fulfil their objectives. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relationship between institutional safety and goals achievement in public universities within the region. A descriptive correlational survey design was employed, focusing on a population of 4,830 lecturers from public universities across Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, selected through purposive sampling. A sample size of 1,585 was determined using Research Advisor, and an instrument titled “Institutional Safety and Goals Achievement Questionnaire (ISGAQ)” was developed. The instrument's validity was confirmed by experts in Educational Management and Educational Tests, Measurement and Evaluation, while reliability was established via the test-retest method, yielding Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.78 and 0.79 for institutional safety, and goals achievement respectively at 0.05 level of significance. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,585 lecturers, with 1,339 duly filled responses returned. Data analysis was conducted, utilizing descriptive statistics such as means for research questions, and multiple regression analysis for the main hypothesis, with Pearson’s product-moment correlation for operational hypotheses, all at a 0.05 significant level. Findings revealed high levels of institutional safety (2.87) and goal achievement (2.89) in the public universities. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between safety and goals achievement, with an R² value of 98%. The study recommends that university leadership should actively support and enhance a positive institutional safety and goals achievement.