Engineering education is one of the key factors for the development of any nation.
Nowhere is this more true than in Sub-Saharan Africa, where a dearth of engineers has
contributed to the lowest regional standard of living of anywhere in the world. The need
in this region is so vast and immediate that it could only be met by the use of ICT-based
education. This paper presents the findings of an investigation into the feasibility of
providing tertiary level engineering education through current information and
communication technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data collected includes an extensive
review of the available literature, contact with current providers of ICT-based
engineering education, and a survey of 250 engineering firms in Sub-Saharan Africa, the
end-users of engineering education in that region. The findings indicate that it is indeed
feasible to deliver tertiary level engineering education to Sub-Saharan Africa, assuming
that resources could be found for course development and to enhance the technological
capacity of local institutions. This paper complements the picture of a ‘flat world’ draw
by Thomas L. Friedman [43] who in his recent book focused on well developed countries
only