Grappling with the Sustainable Development Goals in South Sudanese higher education

• In Event: Contextualising and reframing sustainability in higher education

Proposal

After gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has been ravaged by Civil War, and the ongoing security crisis has hampered the development of infrastructure and public services. In spite of these challenges, the higher education system has grown rapidly, with five public and 13 private universities now operating. While the flagship University of Juba has gone from strength to strength, a number of smaller private universities have emerged with commercial motivation and dubious levels of quality (Akec 2016; Kuyok 2017; 2022). There is a crucial need, therefore, to understand and document the extent to which the higher education system as a whole is oriented towards the public good, and is supporting the developmental needs of the population.

This presentation explores the current state of play of South Sudanese higher education drawing on McCowan’s (2020) modalities framework, through the dimensions of education, knowledge production, services, public debate and campus operations. The research maps these activities through documentary evidence to assess the presence of the thematic areas associated with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the balance between them and gaps in provision. It also draws on interviews with senior management of universities and focus groups with students to explore understandings of and critical engagements with ideas and practices of sustainable development in the context of continuing conflict.

Findings show that security risks and lack of resources hamper the day-to-day functioning of institutions and their ability to maximise their potential. In terms of access, the percentage of the age cohort entering university is still very low in comparison to neighbouring countries. Most HEIs are based in or near the capital Juba, and there is also significant underrepresentation of females (Oywak 2019). Security concerns and lack of student accommodation in addition to pressures for early entry into the labour market have constrained uptake of opportunities.

Nevertheless, universities – in many cases against the odds – are making significant contributions in key areas of basic education, health and peace-building. The system is playing a positive role in relation to dialogue and mutual understanding between ethnic groups. Institutions display strong commitment to achieving local and national development goals and solidarity with local communities, and in some cases there are important impacts on nutrition, health and lower levels of education. Environmental protection is a lesser concern due to pressing issues of human survival and well-being, but connections are being made through livelihoods, agriculture etc. However, potential in this regard is not being fully achieved due to lack of funding, infrastructure and staffing. International links – in particular the South Sudanese diaspora – are seen to be particularly important in enhancing the developmental impact of universities.

Finally, implications are drawn out for higher education in resource-constrained and conflict-affected countries around the world. In particular, the presentation explores the complex question of the extent to which sustainability and the SDGs represent ‘luxuries’ in these contexts of significant material need, or whether instead they constitute a vital part of reconstruction and regeneration.

Authors

• Kuyok Abol Kuyok, Ministry of General Education and Instruction, South Sudan

• Tristan McCowan, University College London