NSU LinkUp - Academic Research Collaboration Platform

About The Project

NSU LinkUp is a comprehensive web-based platform designed to bridge the gap between students and faculty at North South University. It facilitates research collaboration, provides AI-powered academic assistance, and creates a seamless environment for academic networking and growth.

Key Objectives

• Connect students with research opportunities
• Streamline the research application process
• Provide AI-powered guidance for academic success
• Foster collaboration between students and faculty
• Create a centralized hub for academic announcements

Features

Student Portal

• Research Discovery: Browse and filter research opportunities by department, salary, and requirements
• AI Study Assistant: Get personalized recommendations for research positions matching your profile
• Smart Application System: Apply for positions with CGPA verification and skill matching
• Comprehensive Profile: Showcase skills, achievements, publications, and experience
• Application Tracking: Real-time status updates on submitted applications
• Peer Networking: Connect with fellow students for collaboration

Faculty Portal

• Research Post Management: Create, edit, and manage research opportunities
• Application Review System: Efficiently review and manage student applications
• AI Research Assistant: Access faculty-exclusive insights about student qualifications
• Student Discovery: Find qualified candidates based on CGPA, skills, and interests
• Profile Management: Display research interests, office hours, and publications
• Analytics Dashboard: Track application statistics and post performance

Admin Dashboard

• User Management: Verify faculty/organizer accounts, manage user roles
• Announcement System: Post and manage system-wide announcements
• Comprehensive Audit Logs: Track all platform activities for security
• Contact Query Management: Handle and respond to platform inquiries
• AI Chatbot Configuration: Manage OpenAI settings and monitor usage
• System Statistics: View platform metrics and user engagement data

Technology Stack

Backend

• Language: PHP 7.4+
• Database: MySQL 5.7+
• Server: Apache/Nginx
• Session Management: PHP Sessions with role-based access

Frontend

• HTML5 - Semantic markup
• CSS3 - Custom styling with responsive design
• JavaScript - Dynamic interactions and AJAX
• Font Awesome 6.0 - Icon library

AI Integration

• OpenAI GPT API - Powers the intelligent chatbot assistants
• Custom Intent Analysis - Smart query understanding and routing

Security

• Prepared Statements - SQL injection prevention
• Input Sanitization - XSS protection
• Role-Based Access Control - Granular permission system
• Audit Logging - Comprehensive activity tracking

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• MySQL 5.7 or higher
• Apache/Nginx web server
• Git for version control
• OpenAI API key (optional, for chatbot functionality)

User Roles & Access

Admin

• Registration: Use secret key NSU_ADMIN_2025
• Capabilities: Full system access, user management, system configuration
• Access Path: /admin/*

Faculty

• Registration: Requires admin verification
• Capabilities: Create research posts, review applications, access AI assistant
• Access Path: /faculty/*

Student

• Registration: Immediate access after signup
• Capabilities: Apply for research, manage profile, use AI assistant
• Access Path: /student/*

Project Structure

nsu-linkup/
│
├── admin/                    # Admin portal pages
│   ├── dashboard.php            # Admin dashboard
│   ├── announcements.php        # Announcement management
│   ├── audit-logs.php          # System audit logs
│   ├── contact-queries.php     # Contact form submissions
│   ├── manage-users.php        # User management
│   └── verify-users.php        # User verification
│
├── api/                      # API endpoints
│   ├── chatbot.php             # AI chatbot endpoint
│   ├── get-faculty-profile.php # Faculty data API
│   ├── get-student-profile.php # Student data API
│   ├── submit-application.php  # Application submission
│   └── upload-profile-pic.php  # Profile picture upload
│
├── assets/                   # Static resources
│   ├──  css/                 # Stylesheets
│   │   ├── common.css          # Global styles
│   │   ├── dashboard.css       # Dashboard styles
│   │   └── [role-specific].css # Role-specific styles
│   ├── js/                  # JavaScript files
│   │   ├── common.js           # Global scripts
│   │   ├── chatbot.js          # Chatbot functionality
│   │   └── [page-specific].js  # Page-specific scripts
│   └── uploads/             # User uploads
│       └── profiles/           # Profile pictures
│
├── auth/                    # Authentication pages
│   ├── login.php               # Unified login
│   ├── student-signup.php     # Student registration
│   ├── faculty-signup.php     # Faculty registration
│   ├── admin-signup.php       # Admin registration
│   └── logout.php             # Logout handler
│
├── faculty/                 # Faculty portal
│   ├── dashboard.php          # Faculty dashboard
│   ├── profile.php           # Profile management
│   ├── create-research.php   # Create research posts
│   ├── manage-posts.php      # Manage research posts
│   ├── applications.php      # Review applications
│   ├── students.php          # Browse students
│   ├── faculty.php           # Faculty directory
│   └── chatbot.php           # AI assistant
│
├── includes/               # Core includes
│   ├── config.php            # Configuration
│   ├── db_connect.php       # Database connection
│   ├── functions.php         # Helper functions
│   ├── auth_check.php       # Authentication check
│   ├── header.php           # Page header
│   └── footer.php           # Page footer
│
└── student/               # Student portal
    ├── dashboard.php         # Student dashboard
    ├── profile.php          # Profile management
    ├── research.php         # Browse research
    ├── students.php         # Student directory
    ├── faculty.php          # Faculty directory
    ├── chatbot.php          # AI assistant
    └── announcements.php    # View announcements

Configuration Options

Session Configuration

In php.ini:

session.save_path = "/var/lib/php/sessions"
session.gc_maxlifetime = 3600
session.cookie_httponly = 1
session.use_only_cookies = 1

File Upload Settings

In php.ini:

file_uploads = On
upload_max_filesize = 10M
post_max_size = 10M
max_file_uploads = 20

Security Features

• SQL Injection Prevention: All queries use prepared statements
• XSS Protection: Input sanitization and output encoding
• CSRF Protection: Token validation on forms
• Session Security: HTTP-only cookies, session regeneration
• File Upload Security: Type validation, size limits, secure storage
• Access Control: Role-based permissions, page-level restrictions
• Audit Logging: Comprehensive activity tracking with IP logging

Database Schema

Core Tables

• users - User authentication and basic info
• students - Student profiles and details
• faculty - Faculty profiles and information
• admins - Administrator accounts
• organizers - Event organizer accounts

Feature Tables

• research_posts - Research opportunities
• research_applications - Student applications
• announcements - System announcements
• events - Campus events
• contact_queries - Contact form submissions

Support Tables

• student_skills - Student skill listings
• student_experience - Work experience
• student_achievements - Awards and certifications
• student_publications - Academic publications
• audit_logs - System activity logs
• chatbot_logs - AI conversation history
• chatbot_settings - AI configuration

AI Assistant Features

Student Assistant

• Research opportunity matching based on profile
• Skill gap analysis and recommendations
• Application tips and guidance
• Academic planning advice

Faculty Assistant

• Student qualification insights
• Research trend analysis
• Application pattern recognition
• Collaboration recommendations

Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

File Upload Issues

# Check permissions
ls -la assets/uploads/

# Fix permissions
sudo chmod -R 755 assets/uploads/
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data assets/uploads/

Session Errors

# Check session directory
ls -la /var/lib/php/sessions/

# Fix permissions
sudo chmod 1733 /var/lib/php/sessions/

Testing

Manual Testing Checklist

• User registration (all roles)
• Login/logout functionality
• Research post creation
• Application submission
• AI chatbot responses
• File uploads
• Search and filters
• Mobile responsiveness

API Documentation

Endpoints

POST /api/chatbot.php

Submit a message to the AI assistant

Request:
{
  "message": "Find research opportunities in AI",
  "context": []
}

Response:
{
  "success": true,
  "response": "Based on your profile...",
  "data": {}
}

GET /api/get-research-details.php

Get detailed research post information

Parameters:
- id: Research post ID

Response:
{
  "success": true,
  "research": { ... }
}

POST /api/submit-application.php

Submit application for research position

Request:
{
  "research_id": 123,
  "cover_letter": "I am interested in..."
}

Coding Standards

• Follow PSR-12 for PHP code
• Use meaningful variable names
• Comment complex logic
• Write secure, sanitized code

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