The Impact of ICT in Public and Private Universities in Sudan

Abstract

This paper examines the impacts of ICT in public and private Sudanese universities. We verify the first and third hypotheses that the use of ICT facilitates connection, networks and collaboration within public and private universities in Sudan, with local, regional and international institutions. We support the second hypothesis that the use of ICT enhances access, production and dissemination of knowledge in Sudanese universities. We support the fourth hypothesis that the use of ICT introduces ‘creative-destruction’ effect by providing opportunities for knowledge production, building connection and organizational changes; but simultaneously also creating hazards to knowledge production and building disconnection for those who do not share the knowledge in public and private Sudanese universities. We show that the most important advantageous related to the use of Internet for enhancing production, creation and transfer of knowledge include increasing digital knowledge for academic and researchers, rapid quantitative and qualitative increase in transferring information, development of new models for disseminating and distributing electronic information, and increase free access to electronic publications for academic purposes. We find that top problem related to the use of Internet is the lack of regular budget for universities libraries to pay for licenses and access to scientific and technical information.