A weak research track record makes it difficult for the USL to secure funding for research activities

The University of Sierra Leone is a public university located in Freetown. Established in 1827 as Fourah Bay College, it was the first Western-style institution of higher learning in West Africa.

Freetown was even nicknamed "the Athens of West Africa" due to the presence of the college.

Currently, the USL consists of three constituent colleges.  Fourah Bay College is the oldest college and specializes in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, and Sciences. The Church Missionary Society founded it.

The Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) was established in 1980. IPAM initially trained civil servants but now serves as the university's business school. It offers programs in business, IT, finance, and public administration.

The College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) focuses on training medical and health professionals.

The university is featured in Times Higher Education's global "Impact Rankings," which assess universities' progress toward the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. 

For 2025, Uniranks lists the University of Sierra Leone as  6245th globally.

Major global rankings often place a strong emphasis on research output and internationalization. 

The University of Sierra Leone (USL) faces persistent weaknesses, which are also common to the broader higher education system in the country.

These challenges are rooted in a history of underfunding, economic shocks, and conflict, and they impact the university's governance, infrastructure, and ability to meet the demands of modern academics and the market.

USL and other institutions suffer from inadequate government funding, resulting in instability and a cycle of underperformance. Revenue generation is often challenging, as government grant-in-aid payments are usually delayed for years.

The USL has also faced scrutiny for administrative irregularities, including issues with procurement, fund allocation, and human resources.

The university's campuses, notably Fourah Bay College, have long struggled with limited and irregular electricity and water supplies, as well as poorly equipped laboratories and outdated library materials.



Inadequate ICT infrastructure is a particular weakness. 

While the USL has a core of respected professors, many of its teaching staff hold only bachelor's or master's degrees, which hinders research output.

The academic curriculum is often not aligned with the needs of the modern job market, leaving many graduates underprepared for employment in sectors such as technology, renewable energy, and agribusiness.

This creates a disconnect between university education and the economic needs of society.

Due to inadequate funding and infrastructure, the university has limited research capabilities.

The university has a weakness in its partnerships with industry and government, which limits opportunities for knowledge transfer and development.

The University of Sierra Leone's (USL) limited research capacity significantly hinders its ability to address challenges at both the local and national levels.

A weak research ecosystem means the country cannot effectively produce its own evidence-based solutions for problems related to public health, economic development, and environmental conservation.

Limited research capacity directly impacts how public policy is made in Sierra Leone. Policymakers are often forced to make decisions with incomplete or no locally generated data.

This can lead to inefficient resource allocation and ineffective policies.

The country may become dependent on research from donor countries or international institutions. That data is often gathered for different contexts and may not be relevant to Sierra Leone's specific cultural, economic, and social needs.

A weak research culture means that the university cannot adequately contribute to the growth and development of critical sectors.

While health research is a national priority and accounts for a significant portion of the country's scientific output, public health laboratories still suffer from inadequate equipment, poor data management, and a shortage of specialized personnel.

This limits the country's ability to develop effective health interventions.

For agricultural research to bolster food security and productivity, the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute requires reinforcement to better respond to development challenges.

The USL has a role to play in supporting this, but limited resources constrain its efforts.

Environmental conservation is a national challenge that requires local research to manage resources effectively. The lack of a strong research culture at the USL hinders its ability to make meaningful contributions in this area. Higher education is an engine for economic growth.

Still, the USL's limited research capacity and outdated curricula hinder its ability to drive innovation and support the development of high-growth sectors, such as technology and agribusiness.

The lack of research capacity creates a cycle of weakness that perpetuates broader institutional and systemic problems.

A disconnect from the latest research means that curricula become outdated, poorly preparing students for the current job market and national needs.

The absence of incentives and resources for impactful research, coupled with better opportunities abroad, leads to a "brain drain" of the country's most talented academics.

This further weakens the research ecosystem and diminishes the university's human capital potential.

A weak research track record makes it more difficult for the USL to secure national and international funding for research activities, further exacerbating the problem.

The lack of collaboration between academia, industry, and government further restricts knowledge transfer and hinders the creation of innovative solutions to national challenges.