Al-Qadarif University in eastern Sudan continued in-person teaching during the war, graduating new cohorts and hosting students, professors and examinations for universities and institutions affected by the fighting. This came as infrastructure at about 120 public and private universities and colleges suffered damage that directly affected nearly half a million male and female students.
University accommodates students and supports examinations for affected institutions
A university official said the institution had managed to operate during the war with the same efficiency and previous academic standards, while also accommodating students from outside Al-Qadarif State. She added that the university had become a centre for several affected universities across Sudan and helped them assess their examinations, while taking care to prevent cohorts from accumulating.
The official said the university had achieved a number of academic milestones during the war, including graduating the first cohorts of the faculties of medical laboratory sciences, engineering and pharmacy. According to her, the university's total number of graduates from its various faculties reached 628,000 male and female students, despite limited resources and the pressures the war had placed on the higher education sector.
Universities and professional councils hosted in Al-Qadarif
Al-Qadarif University hosts a large number of public and private universities from affected areas of Sudan, some of which continue to conduct their activities and examinations in the university's buildings. The university also hosts examinations for the Medical Specialisations Council and the Medical Professions Council, and continues to provide this service to the institutions and students who benefit from it.
In the field of community service, the official said the university was using its own efforts to improve the environment and support development. Its faculties are also benefiting from visiting staff affiliated with other universities, helping to sustain the educational process and provide additional academic expertise as professors and students move from areas affected by the war.
A professor at the Faculty of Administrative Sciences said the faculty was established in 1992 as part of the University of the East, before becoming a key foundation for the establishment of Al-Qadarif University in 1994. He said it had graduated more than 30 cohorts, including four during the war, while hosting students and professors from other universities.
The professor added that the faculty had taken part in training employees in Al-Qadarif State and had provided more than five courses in six specialisations for the ministries of education and finance, as well as other ministries. The university had also completed three consecutive semesters, he said, with teaching stopping only during Ramadan.
Students and professors describe the impact of the university experience
One student described hosting the affected universities as a positive experience that made him happy, saying it had presented a positive image and enabled him to build a network of relationships with students from different parts of Sudan. Another female student said interacting with displaced people had enabled students to learn about diverse cultures, customs and traditions, enriching their experience at the university. A professor at the Faculty of Engineering said the faculty had three specialisations: electrical, mechanical and civil engineering.
She added that the faculty graduated its first cohort in 2025, followed by its second cohort during the current year, benefiting from visiting academic staff as well as completed engineering workshops and a computer laboratory.
Sudan's higher education institutions are attempting to restore university activity through distance learning and by moving some centres to safer states or abroad. These measures followed the extensive damage suffered by educational institutions, as well as the large-scale migration of university professors and the disruption of studies for large numbers of students.
Sudan has faced a war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023. It has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of more than 13 million, alongside widespread destruction of infrastructure, particularly in the health and education sectors.
