A rapid assessment of Nimba University and Bong County Technical College to establish their suitability as potential partners in supporting the VAR technical and social intervention.

A rapid assessment by LIDA-R evaluated Nimba University (NU) and Bong County Technical College (BCTC) for their potential to support the Village Access Roads (VAR) project in Liberia. It was found that BCTC is immediately viable for collaboration, while NU shows promise for future partnerships, particularly in engineering programmes​.

Summary:

The rapid assessment conducted by the Liberia Institute for Development Assessment and Research (LIDAR), funded by Swansea University (SU), aimed to evaluate the potential of Nimba University (NU) and Bong County Technical College (BCTC) as partners in supporting the Village Access Roads (VAR) project. The VAR project, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), focuses on enhancing access to isolated communities in Liberia through community-driven implementation and maintenance of Village Access Roads. Key findings revealed a high level of interest and willingness from both institutions to participate in the VAR project. BCTC has a civil engineering department and offers undergraduate degrees, while NU plans to introduce a civil engineering program in the 2024/25 academic year and currently offers degrees in Geology and Mining Engineering. Both institutions have existing partnerships with non-academic organizations. NU possesses some laboratory facilities, while BCTC relies on external facilities for practical sessions. Recommendations include fostering professional relationships with BCTC, developing technical and community development courses for students, and encouraging female student participation in training programs. The assessment concludes that BCTC is immediately viable for collaboration, while NU shows promise for future partnerships beyond the initial phase of the VAR project​.