Professor Dr. Isaac Ayii Ayii, VC of Ayii University

JUBA, South Sudan — The Founder and Chancellor of South Sudan’s Ayii University, Prof. Isaac Ayii Ayii, will for the first time chair a session at the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Annual Meeting and Conference following the institution’s admission into the regional higher education body.

According to a post on the Inter-University Council for East Africa on Monday, Prof. Ayii will lead the session on Mobility and Cross-Border Partnerships during the 17th IUCEA Annual Meeting and Conference scheduled for 29–31 July 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Council said, Dr Ayii’s anticipated participation would mark s a new chapter for Ayii University as it engages with regional academic institutions under the IUCEA framework.

The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening academic mobility, collaboration, and partnerships among universities in East Africa.

Prof. Ayii, who is also the Founder of the Juba Institute of Health Sciences and Universal Entrepreneurs Microfinance (UEM), is a scholar, entrepreneur, and higher education leader with ten academic qualifications.

His academic background includes two PhDs in Entrepreneurship and Medical Education, four Master’s degrees in Business Administration, Public Policy, Public Health, and Higher Education, as well as Bachelor’s degrees in Law and Medical Education, a Higher Diploma in ENT Surgery, and a Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Public Health.

He is also an author of several publications in medicine, education, and entrepreneurship, including First Aid at Your Fingertips and Anatomy and Physiology at Your Fingertips.

Before establishing Ayii University and the Juba Institute of Health Sciences, Prof. Ayii worked in the health sector with World Vision, operated a medical practice, and later became a consultant in microfinance while serving on the boards of several institutions in South Sudan.

His journey from growing up amid conflict and pursuing education in refugee communities across Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda to establishing higher education institutions has been described as a story of resilience and determination.

Through his leadership, Prof. Ayii has continued to advocate for expanded access to quality education, entrepreneurship development, and human capital growth to support South Sudan’s long-term development.

As chair of the Mobility and Cross-Border Partnerships session, he is expected to share perspectives on how higher education institutions can contribute to regional integration and the advancement of the East African Higher Education Area