Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology

College of Law

 

  1. Background

Since February 2007, Dr. John Garang Institute of Science and Technology was established in Bor as a Branch of Free International University of Moldova with four Faculties including College of Law, College of Science and Technology, College of Agriculture; and College of Natural Resources.

As the Free International University of Moldova was Bologna-based, students were given six (6) months Access Courses with progressive assessment tests to qualify them to join the University. Access Courses were completed in July 2008. In 2008, the University officially started First Semester lectures; however, the Faculty of Humanities was changed to Law by the Senate of the University at Moldova while the rest of three Faculties commenced lectures without any changes.

In 2008, the South Sudan Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology appointed a Vice Chancellor for Dr. John Garang Institute of Science and Technology. This angered the Moldovan who wish to run the University under their control and eventually pull out after the end of First Semester.  In 2010, Dr. John Garang Institute of Science and Technology was officially recognized by South Sudan Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology as one of the Public Universities in the Southern Sudan (before Independent) and renamed as Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology.

The University then resumed lectures with Second Semester and renamed Faculty of Ecological Security as Faculty of Natural Resources (5 years); Faculty of Public Gardening as Faculty of Agriculture (5 years); and Pharmaceutical Technology as Faculty of Science and Technology (5 years) while it retained Faculty of Law (4 years). In 2013, the First Batch of Faculty of Law, twenty-five students, completed their studies and University Administration decided to close the Faculty of Law. However; the circumstances leading to the closure of the Faculty of Law were unclear as there were no official documents to support the closure.

Finally, in March 2023, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology approved the re-activation of the College of Law due to consistence follow up by the Vice Chancellor of Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. Abraham Matoc Dhal, in consultation with Specialized Committee of the National Council for Higher Education.

The Leadership of the University approved the Curriculum and Students Code of Conduct and Regulations drafted by the Teaching Staff of the College of Law in 2023. The College of Law has officially registered forty-five students for the first year in 2024-2025 Academic Year, out of which seven are females.   

  1. Objectives for the establishment of College of Law

To train and nurture lawyers who:

  • Are technically and theoretically competent, critical thinkers and effective communicators and inculcate legal knowledge;
  • Understand the social, political and economic foundations and perspectives of law;
  • Appreciate the role of law in human developmental processes;
  • Understand the nature, manifestations and linkages of the regional and international geopolitical and legal standpoints;
  • Bear responsibility for the national legacy and have a practical and intellectual interest in nation building;
  • Understand how technology interacts with law;
  • Have integrity and are committed to service beyond oneself; and
  • Understand and appreciate the values of human rights, the rule of law, sustainable development and norms of governance established by the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan of the republic of South Sudan, 2011 (as amended).
  1. Vision, Mission and Core Values
    1. Vision

A thought leader of knowledge generation for societal transformation and development gear towards becoming a world-class university committed to academic excellence.

  1. Mission

To provide quality legal training that meet the aspirations of South Sudanese people and the global community through innovative teaching, learning, research, preservation, integration, transmission and utilization of knowledge dynamic national and global needs.

  1. Core Values

The College of Law at Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology shall be guided by the following principles as core values:

  • Professionalism;
  • Impartiality;
  • Transparency, Accountability and Integrity;
  • Commitment and Persistence;
  • Teamwork and Respect;
  • Equality, Justice and Equity.
  • Freedom of thought and expression; and
  •  

 

  1. Admission Requirements
  • Applicants must satisfy the minimum University entry requirements.
  • Subject to regulation above, an applicant shall be eligible for admission if the applicant has any of the following minimum qualifications:
  1. A degree in any field from a university recognized by Senate; or
  2. A South Sudan Certificate of Education (SSCSE) or its equivalent from an institution recognized by senate with at least two principal passes of “C” or 75% and
  • A subsidiary pass in English; and
  • A grade of “B” (plain) or credit “4” in English at O level from any other east African countries; or
  1. A South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (SSCSE) or its equivalent recognized by senate with a mean grade of C+ and a B (plain) in English at SSCSE; or another qualifying grade equivalent to B plain as approved by senate; or
  2. A relevant diploma with a credit pass from an institution recognized by Senate and a mean grade of C (plain) and a B (plain) in English at SSCSE; (the diploma should have lasted for a minimum of 2 taught years); or
  3. A qualification equivalent to that in (a), (b), (c) or (d) as determined by Senate.
  4. Departments

The College shall have four departments namely: –

  • Department of Public and Comparative Law;
  • Department of Private Law;
  • Department of Commercial Law; and
  • Department of Socio-Legal Studies.

 

 

  1. Academic Programs: Undergraduate Programs:

The foundation for the Bachelor of Law (LLB) Program in the College of Law, at Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology consists of two components (Core Courses and Elective Courses) and students are required to complete all of them prior to graduation.

On Campus, all first-year law students are required to take and pass First Year courses prior to advancement into their second year. A Semester will have the maximum of 6 Courses and minimum of 5 courses. At the end of the fourth year, each and every student of law shall be expected to have completed a total of 47 Courses (37 Core Courses and additional 10 Elective Courses) with a total of 143 Credit Hours, including Legal Research Project (4 CH), Legal Practice Internship (4 CH), and Moot Court (4 CH). 

To graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a student must successfully complete all requirement of program as certified by the Dean of College of Law. This includes to be taken to complete the program and any other specific conditions of the program including admission, enrolment and progression requirements.

The Academic Program in this College include content and achievement standards. The College develop courses that contain the ‘national’ content and achievement standards as well as additional information, guidelines and rules that meet University’s assessment and certification requirements. The law courses are approved by the relevant higher education curriculum, assessment and certification authority.

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