UNDP donates ICT equipment to Upper Nile University

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has donated ICT equipment to Upper Nile University, including 20 desktop computers and a projector, to boost academic research.

Gabriel Garang Atem, UNDP's National Economist, explained the purpose of the donation during the handover event on Tuesday.

“The aim for the ICT equipment is to have tools that the students at the academic can use for their research. We are basically working with the department of economics in all five public universities. We have provided ICT equipment to all public Universities,” Atem said.

Prof. Flora Eyoha Severino, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at Upper Nile University, underlined the importance of research in policymaking.

“This research can help policy implementers make an informed decision which is obtained from the research done by our students,” Severino stated.

Public universities in South Sudan struggle with quality research due to limited resources, including inadequate labs, libraries, and research centers, along with power outages and poor internet access.

Space is also a major issue, as seen with Upper Nile University's relocation to Juba after the 2013 and 2016 conflicts.

Despite these challenges, Prof. Justo Wani Jada, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Juba, emphasized the resilience of the academic community.

“Space is not the case when it comes to academics. You can be taught anywhere under a tree, provided that the curriculum and the teaching staff are so good, and you will not be different from any university which is not displaced,” Wani explained.

Limited funding has left institutions reliant on donors for basic ICT tools like computers and projectors.

“And the contribution that they (UNDP) are making in terms of computers and so on is of great help because a university cannot buy these things alone,” he asserted.

Assistant Professor Yien Bol, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Social Studies at Upper Nile University, stressed the significance of data-driven research in shaping national development.

“Public universities must provide credible research and data to inform policies in the country. Some policies cannot be used in a country, unless evidence-based research is available to support the efforts,” Bol urged.