The outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023 has created immeasurable suffering and damage, threatening critical institutions across the country. Amongst these is Sudanese higher education, which has faced not only the destruction of critical facilities, but also the mass displacement of students and faculty. This report assesses the extent of the damage and how these institutions have, to some degree, continued to operate, despite the extremely difficult conditions. It also highlights the experiences of Sudanese academics and students in displacement as they have attempted to continue their work and rebuild their lives—inside Sudan, as well as in neighbouring countries. Efforts to support Sudanese higher education, both inside and outside of Sudan, are urgent and will be essential for preserving the academic infrastructure of the country long-term and creating a foundation for rebuilding when the war ends. This report—written by Muna Elgadal & Rebecca Glade—was published by the Rift Valley Institute, and is available online: riftvalley.net/publication/research-in-displacement
Dr Rebecca Glade received her PhD in African history at Columbia University, where she wrote her dissertation on ‘Sudanese Political Movements and the Struggle for the State, 1964-1985’. She has published on the history of the student movement at the University of Khartoum. Rebecca is a Visiting Scholar at Makerere University in the department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies, and Managing Editor of the Makerere Historical Journal.