Effective workspace design: imperative in resolving problem of increasing fluidity of knowledge-based academic activities in universities

Abstract

Abstract Academic workspace is globally witnessing paradigm shift in designs in the contemporary time. This is as a result of the increasing fluidity of academic work in recent time and the requests emanating from industries for commercialisation of research findings. This has prompted the global attempts to standardize workspace designs particularly in knowledge-based work that contained many different activities. Benefits outlined in this new designs underline activity based work environments with outlined space utilisation and effectiveness. This paper expressed the fact that effectiveness of workers in universities depends on the adequacy and effectiveness of workspace provided. Against this background is this compares of the National University Commission (NUC) workspace standard in Nigeria with the International standards. This is with a view to improving the existing designs of Nigerian academic workspace. Data gathered from literature were used as International Benchmark to compare with the National University Commission (NUC) Benchmark. These data were analysed using tables. Findings showed that design of academic workspace in Nigerian universities is both environmentally and technologically below the contemporary time international requirements. This paper concludes that the situation of academic workspace design in Nigerian universities still leaves gap for improvement to meet international benchmark. It recommends that Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) should encourage the adoption of minimum standard of academic workspace facilities that will compare favourably with international standard for better effective international research collaboration and job performance in universities. Managers, authorities of universities, academia, facilities managers, real estate managers, planners, designers, developers and investors in academic facilities to synergise and develop user-friendly workspace that can flow with the fluidity of knowledge work in academia.