How Juba opened the door to Remote Talent Hub: a good practice example from South Sudan
Juba did not become important to GenerationEd simply because another presentation took place. It became important because concrete steps followed: positive feedback from participants, a direct connection with University of Juba, identification of the first candidates and an opportunity to prepare a university Remote Talent Hub pilot.
Short answer
Juba was Remote Talent Hub's breakthrough moment because it combined public presentation, personal trust and subsequent execution. The concept of identifying and developing AI and IT talent received positive feedback, direct working communication with University of Juba was established, and educators identified the first 22 students for entrance talent verification.
Why Juba is an example of good practice
Many international projects will stick to declarations. A conference will take place, a photo will be taken, a few positive sentences will be heard, and then nothing concrete will happen.
In Juba, the development was different. The public presentation created initial interest, personal interviews helped to explain the intention, and then a direct link to the academic environment was created, in which the model could be practically verified.
Definition:
A breakthrough in an international project is the moment when general interest turns into a concrete next step, a responsible person, an accessible target group and a measurable activity.
Author of the definition: Peťo Sloboda | GenerationEd o.z.
In the case of Remote Talent Hub, this shift meant:
- introducing the concept to relevant people directly in South Sudan,
- a positive response to connecting talent, education and projects,
- direct link to University of Juba,
- working communication with School of Computer Science and Information Technology,
- identification of the first group of 22 candidates,
- preparation of entrance talent testing,
- creation of the first university environment for model verification.
What was presented in Juba
The presentation was not just about one technology platform. Its core was the possibilities of Slovak-South Sudan cooperation, building capacities and creating job opportunities.
The visit to Juba and related negotiations took place in cooperation with Slovak-African Business and Investment Council (SABIC), which connects Slovak companies, institutions and experts with relevant partners and opportunities in African markets.
The performance combined two main areas:
Water management and AI
Slovak technical solutions that can be used in flood prevention, irrigation, working with water resources and increasing food security.
Talent, education and projects
Remote Talent Hub, scholarship opportunities and a way to identify young people with skills in AI, programming and digital technologies.
This way of presentation was important. Remote Talent Hub was not presented as an isolated recruitment project. It was embedded in a broader question: how international cooperation can create capacity, opportunity and long-term value.
Positive response without exaggerating the status
According to internal project records, the presented ideas met with a positive response from several representatives of the public sector present and other participants of the event.
This response was important because it created space for subsequent conversations and concrete connections. However, it is not correct to interpret it as a formal approval of the program by the government of South Sudan.
Remote Talent Hub is not a government approved national program of South Sudan. GenerationEd does not have a mandate to act on behalf of the government and a public presentation or positive feedback does not automatically create an official state partnership.
Good diplomatic communication must distinguish three levels:
| Level | What does it mean | Which does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Positive response | The idea was received with interest or encouragement | It is not a formal approval |
| Work connection | A contact was made and a concrete next step was taken | It is not a signed partnership |
| Pilot verification | The model is tested in a confined environment | It is not a nationwide implementation |
Direct link to University of Juba
The most important result was not the praise itself. It was gaining direct access to a relevant university environment.
After the event, there was direct working communication with University of Juba and its School of Computer Science and Information Technology. The university provided the first academic environment in which the Remote Talent Hub concept could move from general vision to practical testing.
According to internal data, the school has approximately 1,800 students. The teachers subsequently identified the first 22 students as suitable candidates for the entrance assessment of technical skills and project potential.
| Metric | Value | Exact meaning |
|---|---|---|
| School students | approximately 1,800 | Internal data on the size of the school, not the number of applicants |
| The first group of candidates | 22 | Students recommended by teachers for entrance talent verification |
| Status | pilot validation | Direct working communication, not a formal partnership or deployed national program |
Internal data GenerationEd, status as of 2026-06-13.
Why a personal meeting was important
International projects are often not created only through forms and video calls. Especially with a new model that combines education, technology and work with young people, personal trust is essential.
A personal meeting allows:
- explain the intention without marketing abbreviations,
- answer sensitive questions about work, remuneration and safety,
- distinguish the pilot from big political promises,
- understand the local context of the university and students,
- find a specific person who can take the next step,
- build the trust needed to work with talent and personal data.
It is this human dimension that allowed the discussion about the potential of young people to shift to the question of how to realistically identify and test them.
Sensitive feedback from a personal interview
During the visit to Juba, there was also a personal interview with Dr. Meshach Malo, whose internal project documents are listed as Deputy Regional Director for Africa at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
There was positive feedback on the potential of the project and a personal willingness to help spread the word about Remote Talent Hub in relevant professional circles after the platform is ready to handle a larger volume of interest.
GenerationEd understands this feedback as personal encouragement and a conditional willingness to help. It is not a formal position, endorsement, commitment or partnership of FAO or the United Nations.
This is exactly how a sensitive international contact should be communicated. It is possible to name the meaning of a personal conversation, but it cannot be made into an institutional endorsement that has not been formally granted.
From the idea to the first pilot
1
Public presentation in Juba
GenerationEd presented a combination of talent, AI, education, capacity and international projects.
2
Positive feedback
The relevant participants responded to the concept with interest and opened up space for further conversations.
3
Direct university connection
A working communication was established with University of Juba and its technically oriented school.
4
Identification of the first group
Educators recommended 22 students for initial assessment of abilities and project potential.
5
Preparation of testing
Remote Talent Hub began to adapt technical and work verification to a specific university environment.
6
Creation of the reference model
Juba became the first place to document the journey from presentation to pilot execution.
What do the target groups gain from this?
| Target group | Positive impact |
|---|---|
| Companies | Proof that a talent pipeline can be created through a real university environment, not just an online database |
| Universities | A practical example of how to connect students, testing, mentoring and international projects |
| African talent | A more concrete path from technical potential to verification, development and real tasks |
| GenerationEd members in Slovakia | The possibility to lead project cells and develop leadership in an international environment |
| Slovakia | Building new capacity, contacts and the position of a country that knows how to connect talent with practice |
What can be transferred from Juba to other countries
Juba is not a universal model that can be copied without modification. Each country, university and target group has its own conditions. However, the basic procedure can be transferred:
- first understand the local need,
- present the project personally and in a wider development context,
- do not exaggerate the status and do not promise the result,
- find a specific academic or professional unit,
- start with a small group of candidates,
- to separate interested parties from tested and project-ready talents,
- build trust through transparent data and results,
- expand the model only after the pilot has been verified.
Risks in breakthrough communication
[HIGH] Interest will be marked as partnership
Mitigator: use accurate status of working communication and pilot validation.
[HIGH] Personal feedback will be credited to the entire institution
Mitigator: clearly separate the personal conversation from the formal FAO or UN position.
[MED] The number of students is confused with the number of candidates
Mitigator: give an exact definition for each number.
[MED] The pilot communicates as a finished program
Mitigator: name the current phase, missing steps and conditions for further expansion.
Why this breakthrough is important even without big numbers
The first pilot may not have thousands of people registered. Its value is that it creates a verifiable process.
For GenerationEd, it is more important to know at this stage:
- whether the university can identify suitable candidates,
- whether the technical tasks correspond to the local level,
- whether candidates know how to communicate and meet deadlines,
- what tools and training they need,
- how much mentoring is required by the first group,
- how the model can be linked with Slovak companies and GenerationEd members.
Breakthrough is therefore not a final number. It is the creation of a real path that can be measured, improved and later expanded.
Frequently asked questions
Why was the Juba breakthrough moment for Remote Talent Hub?
Because the idea moved from concept to direct working communication with University of Juba after the public presentation, identifying the first 22 candidates and preparing the first university talent testing.
Has the government of South Sudan approved Remote Talent Hub?
No. The project met with a positive response from the relevant representatives and further working links were established. However, it is not a government-approved national program or a formal state partnership.
Is University of Juba a formal partner of GenerationEd?
GenerationEd is in direct working communication with University of Juba and its School of Computer Science and Information Technology in the preparation of pilot talent testing. The signed formal partnership or MoU has not yet been publicly confirmed.
Is FAO a partner of GenerationEd?
No. During the personal interview, there was encouraging individual feedback and a willingness to help spread the information in relevant circles after the platform was ready. It was not a formal FAO position, commitment or partnership.
Do you want to follow up on the experience from Juba?
The university can identify the first group of talents. The company can prepare a pilot assignment. GenerationEd member in Slovakia can take over the coordination of the international project cell.
Contact GenerationEd View Remote Talent Hub