Universities in Cameroon have brainstormed on a project to set up an interuniversity digital library that will facilitate research and learning at the higher education level.

The project was under discussion on last week during a two-day workshop in Yaounde that brought together stakeholders from the various universities and the Ministry of Higher Education.

Presided over by the Secretary General at the Ministry of Higher Education, stakeholders discussed on the various modalities involved in setting up the project, the feasibility, cost as well as positive impacts on the higher education sector.

The Secretary General at the Ministry of Higher Education, Professor Wilfred Nyongbet Gabsa said the idea of a digital library is an extension of the E-National Higher Education project, initiated by the President of the Republic.

This project comprises of a Computerized Management System in Higher Education Network (SIGIRES), a Digital Library module (E-Library).

Stakeholders at the workshop said the goal of the project is to stay in conformity with international standards in terms of knowledge, and to benefit from a system similar to that of the best universities around the world.

Given that individual access to a digital documentary database is expensive for the Ministry and Cameroonian State Universities with regard to their respective budgets, stakeholders agreed that it is important to pool resources in a digital library accessible to all university institutions as they continue to look for various ways to set up the project.