DR Congo launches national digital portal to modernize higher education
On Monday, March 30, the Democratic Republic of Congo officially launched a digital portal for the higher education and research sector (ESURSI), integrating the first National Digital Library of the country.
The platform provides unified access to academic and scientific resources for students, teachers, and researchers.
Supported by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD), the infrastructure aims to reduce knowledge access inequalities, particularly between urban and rural areas.
Already operational, the portal offers several essential services: academic tracking, student identification, grade equivalency processing, and modules for scholarships and evaluations. It lays the groundwork for a harmonized and secure national system.
Higher Education Minister Marie-Thérèse Sombo said the portal will gradually integrate an open and distance learning platform, an archiving system for scientific publications, and advanced digital services to support academic management.
Beyond content access, the reform seeks to improve university governance. Centralized data will help track academic paths, secure diplomas, and reduce information system fragmentation.
The membership Congo’s membership in the UNESCO-UNICEF “Gateways” initiative aligns the transformation with international standards.
A major challenge remains: digital infrastructure. By late 2025, Congo had 34.7 million internet users, a penetration rate of only 30.5%.
Widespread broadband access and digital adoption by administrations and academia will be critical to the transition’s success
Gilbert FOTSO
