Collaborative Policies for Enhancing Poverty Alleviation Aspect of Sustainable Development Goals Among Postgraduate Business Education Students in Rivers State Universities

Abstract

The study examined the Collaborative Policies for enhancing Poverty Alleviation aspect of Sustainable Development Goals among Postgraduates Business Education students in Rivers State Universities. Three specific objectives, three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprises a total number of 168 postgraduates Business Education students made up of 71 in Rivers State University (RSU) and 97 from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) in 2024/2025 academic session. The entire population was used for the study, hence no sample was done. Instrument used to elicit responses for the study was a 15-item questionnaire “Collaborative Policies for Enhancing Poverty Alleviation aspect of Sustainable Development Goals among Postgraduates Business Education student (CPEPASDPBES). The questionnaire was validated by two Accounting Educators and one expert in Measurement and Evaluation all in Faculty of Education Rivers State University. Cronbach-Alpha statistical tool was used to establish reliability of the instrument which yielded a reliability index of 0.82. The researchers administered 168 copies of instrument and retrieved only 145 copies (64 from RSU and 81 from IAUE) with the help of two assistant. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. Findings showed that Industrial-Academic Collaboration, Community-Based Entrepreneurship development and Research Innovation hub policies enhance Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development among Postgraduates Business Education Students to high extent. Based on the findings, the study recommends amongst others that Universities and Educators providing Business Education Program should collaborate and partner with Industries to inculcate and equip Postgraduate Business Education Students with industrial based skills to enable them have unlimited opportunities in occupational areas that enhance prosperity, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.