• DR Congo launches a national digital university portal integrating its first digital library.
• The platform centralizes academic data and services to improve governance and efficiency.
• Internet penetration stands at 30.5%, highlighting infrastructure challenges to adoption.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a national digital portal to modernize its higher education system and expand access to academic resources. The government inaugurated the platform on March 30 in Kinshasa under the Higher Education, University, Scientific Research and Innovation (ESURSI) framework. The portal integrates the country’s first national digital library and provides unified access to educational and scientific content for students, teachers, and researchers.

The World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) support the initiative, which aims to reduce inequalities in access to knowledge, particularly between urban and rural areas.

The platform already offers several services, including academic pathway management, student identification, equivalency processing, and modules for scholarships and assessments. The system establishes the foundation for a harmonized and secure national academic infrastructure.

Marie-Thérèse Sombo, Minister of Higher and University Education, said the government will expand the platform progressively.

“In a phased approach, this portal will also integrate a national open and distance learning platform to democratize access to education, a system for archiving scientific output […] and advanced digital services to support academic management,” she said.

Beyond access to content, the reform aims to improve governance across the university system. Authorities expect centralized data to improve student tracking, enhance diploma credibility, and reduce fragmentation across information systems.

The country’s participation in the “Gateways” initiative, led by UNESCO and UNICEF, aligns the reform with international standards. However, infrastructure remains a major constraint.

DataReportal reported that DR Congo had 34.7 million internet users by the end of 2025, representing a penetration rate of 30.5%. In this context, broadband access and the adoption of digital tools by public administrations and academic institutions will determine the platform’s effectiveness.

Authorities must now transform the portal from a technical tool into a lever for modernization capable of supporting public governance, scientific production, and, ultimately, the national digital ecosystem.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum