By Matik Kueth
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday donated new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to Upper Nile University to enhance academic and student research capacities.
The ICT equipment includes 20 desktops, 20 laptops, and 1 projector to provide an appropriate statistical tool, such as STATA, and Power BI, a business analytics and data visualization tool developed by Microsoft that allows users to connect to various data sources, analyze data, and create interactive reports and dashboards.
Speaking at the handover event at the University of Juba’s main campus, UNDP’s senior economist for South Sudan, Jigane Sirie, emphasized that universities had excellent resources for fostering economic growth.
He reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to aiding South Sudan’s public universities in advancing their research endeavors.
“Universities are an excellent resource for driving growth and development through conducting research on key issues that would influence decision making and policy development at both national and state level. UNDP recognizes the immense potential of young South Sudanese in academia and in partnership with IFDB. We are committed to ensure that you receive the support that you need in order to thrive but also succeed in your research,” Sirie stated.
Sirie appealed for greater collaboration between academia and the government in the public policymaking process.
“UNDP encourages strong collaboration between the academia and the government in the policy formulation process, but also in the monitoring and evaluation of development outcome and national priorities,” he said.
Prof. Flora Eyoha, Upper Nile University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Admin and Finance, hailed UNDP for its unwavering support, stating that the equipment will help strengthen the capacities of academics and students.
“UNDP has supported Upper Nile University in so many aspects, and their support is realized by disbursing our operations in the university. This can only be realistic and practical when the learning institutions are well-equipped. They can be equipped in terms of infrastructure and tools. Equipped by developing the capacities of the professors and the students, and as such to provide these up-to-date tools to realize the quality research is performed at different universities,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Prof. Justo Wani Jada, University of Juba’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Admin and Finance, echoed Sirie’s sentiments, commending UNDP for its consistent support of the country’s public universities, stressing that the equipment will be extremely beneficial to the students.
“UNDP contribution to these universities in South is of great help. I’m sure even when we went to Sudan, we did not get this type of treatment. This treatment can be done by people who really value human life, who value academics. But we want to thank them very much for all the efforts that they are doing to these public universities and the contribution they are making in terms of computers is of great help,” he emphasized.
UNDP has so far provided ICT equipment to five public universities in South Sudan with funding from the African Development Fund, in line with UNDP’s role in development and coordination of development and discourse on economic governance.