A Review Analysis of the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Promoting Sustainable Peace in Post-War Sierra Leone

Higher Education Institutions in Post-War Peace-Building

Abstract

The trajectory of post-conflict recovery in Sierra Leone, following the devastating civil war (1991?2002), has been a subject of extensive scholarly and policy-oriented inquiry. While significant attention has been paid to formal processes of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and transitional justice, the strategic role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as catalysts for sustainable peace remains a critically underexplored area. This review analysis seeks to address this gap by systematically synthesizing and evaluating the existing literature on the contributions, challenges, and latent potential of Sierra Leone universities in the peacebuilding landscape. The study was guided by a central research question of “how have HEIs contributed to building sustainable peace, and what factors constrained or enabled the effectiveness of this effort?” Using the systematic review method, this analysis drew on a wide range of academic databases, institutional reports, and grey literature, framed through an integrated conceptual lens comprising four key elements of engagement. These included knowledge production and curriculum reform, skills development and capacity building, community engagement and social cohesion, and policy advocacy and research. The findings suggested that HEIs, notably Fourah Bay College (for University of Sierra Leone) and Njala University, have undertaken significant initiatives since the war. These included the introduction of peace and conflict studies programs, serving as neutral spaces for national dialogue and training of professional workforce essential for reconstruction. However, the analysis uncovered a pronounced disconnect between systemic impact in theoretical and practical potentials of HEIs in the country. The contributions of HEIs were consistently hampered by a confluence of severe challenges, including chronic underfunding, infrastructural decay, political interference, a persistent "brain drain" of intellectual capital, and a legacy of elitism that often creates disconnect with the broader society. Furthermore, community engagement efforts were frequently project-based and dependent on transient external funding, while significant research-policy gap prevented valuable academic insights from effectively informing national recovery strategies. The synthesis of evidence suggested that HEIs in Sierra Leone were an indispensable yet under-optimized actor in the peacebuilding ecosystem. For the institutions to transition from symbols of hope to agents of sustainable peace, a concerted and multi-stakeholder effort was required. There was recommended that university leadership, national government, and international partners emphasize strategic investment in institutional capacity and pedagogical innovation. This will foster critical thinking and civic responsibility, thereby strengthening policy-university-community linkages. This review provided a foundational framework for reimagining the role of academia in not just post-war reconstruction, but in fostering a resilient and cohesive society.