The Struggle for Higher Education and Scientific Research in Sudan at War: Challenges and New Pathways
Course Overview
This 10-week seminar series explores the fate of higher education and scientific research in Sudan amid war, tracing how universities, laboratories, and knowledge networks have endured destruction, displacement, and reinvention. Drawing on official reports from Sudan’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, recent academic studies, and first-hand testimonies, the series examines the system before, during, and after the outbreak of conflict to uncover both collapse and resilience. Each session blends concise presentations, Sudanese case studies, and audience-driven discussions using interactive tools such as Mentimeter and Padlet, encouraging participants to reflect on shared regional experiences—from Yemen to Palestine—and to envision new pathways for rebuilding. By combining evidence, lived experience, and comparative dialogue, the series aims to transform Sudan’s crisis into a learning model for protecting and reimagining higher education and science in times of war.
Seminar Leaders
Dr. Wasma Amin Abdelgadir Ahmed
Postdoctoral Researcher
KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET
Expert in molecular and cellular biology, genetics, and large-scale genomics techniques, Dr. Ahmed has developed and applied methods such as ELISA, spectrophotometry, PCR, ChIP-seq, and FISH to investigate metabolic, genetic, and cytogenetic traits in animals and plants. She holds a PhD in Genetics, Molecular, and Cellular Biology from Pavia University.
Dr. Nashwa Eassa
Associate Professor
AL NEELAIN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Nashwa Eassa is an Associate Professor of Physics at Al Neelain University, Sudan, and a Sponsored Researcher at Imperial College London under the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA) Fellowship. With a PhD in Physics, her research focuses on materials science, nanotechnology, and sustainable technologies.
Syllabus and Readings
Course Schedule
MARCH 10
Week 1: Why Universities Matter in War
Hosted on Zoom
Read any two readings of your choice
march 17
Week 2: Sudanese Higher Education before April 2023
Hosted on Zoom
- MoHESR Reform/Strategic Plan (2021) – priorities/pillars + distance learning + research streghtening
- MHESR Reform Projects – 2021
- Pre-war higher education landscape study/report (pages 14-30)
march 24
Week 3: Shock Phase: April 2023 and immediate disruption
Hosted on Zoom
- UNHCR displacement overview
- OCHA humanitarian snapshot
- Sudan-focused higher education situation analysis (selected1, selected2)
march 31
Week 4: Campus destruction, occupation, and collapse of research infrastructure
Hosted on Zoom
- Rift Valley Institute Report on higher education/research under displacement (selected – Executive Summary & The Effects of War on Sudanese Students and Academics)
- GCPEA (Sudan profile or relevant excerpt on attacks/military use) Full report available here.
- MoHESR damage communications (excerpt) + credible corroboration
april 7
Week 5: Students: displacement, barriers, and the “lost campus” experience
- UNHCR Report Review
- RVI Report (Selected Section – The Effects of War on Sudanese Students and Academics)
- Practical host-university guidance on displaced learners
Hosted on Zoom
april 14
Week 6: Teachers and researchers: survival, ethics, and “brain drain”
Hosted on Zoom
- RVI Report (Selected Sections – Faculty/Research Continuity)
- Scholars at Risk (risks + protection framing, selected profile) and sections 2,3,4 from the table of contents.
- Research Ethics/Data Stewardship during conflict
- BMC Psychiatry (2025) – Mental Health Outcomes During Armed Conflict in Sudan
april 21
Week 7: Gender, protection, and women in academia/STEM during war
Hosted on Zoom
- UNFPA Sudan Reporting (Report, Highlights, 2024 Situation Report)
- Women’s Education/Work under displacement (Selected1, Selected2)
- (Optional) MoHESR Reform Projects 2021 (pg. 33-37)
april 28
Week 8: Regional universities as lifelines
Hosted on Zoom
may 5
Week 9: Policy and rebuilding pathways
Hosted on Zoom
MAY 12
Week 10: Lessons beyond Sudan + audience roadmap (Pathways Memo)
Hosted on Zoom
Certificates of Satisfactory Completion
Participants who attend 8 out of 10 complete seminar sessions are eligible to receive a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion signed by the Dean of The New School for Social Research.