Digital Readiness and Infrastructure Gaps for E-Learning in Conflict-Affected East African Universities

This study investigates digital readiness and infrastructure gaps for e-learning in conflict-affected university settings across East Africa, where prolonged civil conflict and institutional fragility have disrupted higher education continuity. The purpose was to assess digital habits, device access, and institutional infrastructure among lecturers and students, and to identify barriers that could inform policy and capacity-building measures to close the readiness-infrastructure gap. A descriptive cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, drawing on Diffusion of Innovation, Digital Divide, and Technology Readiness Index theories. Data were gathered from 287 lecturers and 1,918 students, together with six institutional representatives, across universities in Sudan, South Sudan, and Kenya, using faculty and student questionnaires, institutional infrastructure checklists, and key informant notes. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and comparatively, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis; as a single time-point design, causal inferences are limited. Findings revealed strong digital habits and near-universal smartphone ownership, alongside persistent infrastructural deficiencies, with laptop access below 25% among students and unreliable electricity and bandwidth undermining learning continuity, particularly in Sudan and South Sudan. Kenyan universities showed stronger institutional readiness but faced scaling challenges from high enrolment and bandwidth costs. The study concludes that a widening readiness-infrastructure gap exists, where individual willingness outpaces institutional capacity. These findings imply the need for coordinated investment in reliable digital infrastructure and mobile-optimized, low-bandwidth pedagogies to sustain equitable e-learning in fragile contexts.