​ ​​Türkiye Continues to be Conscience of the World in Higher Education

February 27, 2025

As in Palestine and Ukraine, Türkiye continues to be the conscience of the world in higher education. The Council of Higher Education took action after Al Neelain University, the University of Al-Butana and the University of Bahri and their hospitals were destroyed or severely damaged due to the civil unrest and war in Sudan, and opened the doors of Turkish universities to Sudan.

With the decision taken between the Council of Higher Education, the Sudanese Office of the Education Counselor and the relevant university authorities, a determined number of students, academics and administrative staff from these three Sudanese universities will continue their academic activities at Turkish universities. Thus, Türkiye has opened its university doors to students and scientists, this time for the universities.

The Council of Higher Education paired the University of Al-Butana with Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Al Neelain University with İnönü University and the University of Bahri with Selçuk University. Thus, while preventing the cessation of education in Sudan, Türkiye-Sudan relations will reach a new level. It will also serve as a role model for countries facing similar problems.

The University of Al-Butana started its academic activities within Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University. Al Neelain University and the University of Bahri will soon continue their education in Türkiye thanks to Türkiye's guest university initiative.

There are 18 Sudanese at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, including the Rector of the University of Al-Butana, three administrative staff, two researcher faculty members, four doctoral students, two graduate students and six undergraduate students.

CoHE President Erol Özvar stated that Türkiye has always opened its doors to all scientists who could not carry out their scientific activities in their own country for any reason for centuries. He stated that they do not wish universities anywhere in the world to cease their education and training activities due to war. Özvar said that Sudanese students studying at Turkish universities with their own means are also taken into consideration when determining the universities in Türkiye and that they make every effort to ensure that international students in Türkiye receive the best education in Turkish universities. “We have graduates from Turkish universities who became ministers, prime ministers and presidents in their home countries. We believe that this will also be the case in Sudan. Sudan is one of our friendly countries. It is one of Türkiye's important allies in Africa.”

With the decision taken by the Council of Higher Education on December 27, 2023, Sudanese students whose university education in Sudan was interrupted, who had reached the higher education level but could not find a university to study in due to the current situation, were provided with the opportunity to study in Turkish higher education institutions either through transfer or under the status of "special student". Similarly, Sudanese academics whose academic lives were interrupted were temporarily employed by Turkish universities.

Prof. Mahmoud Jacob Mahmoud, Rector of the University of Al-Butana came to Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University to continue his academic activities. He said that universities and civilians in Sudan suffered greatly from the war. Stating that they continued online and distance education in order not to interrupt education, but it was interrupted due to the lack of equipment, Mahmoud said that Türkiye was the first country to hear their voices and thanked them for their help.

Ferass Ailaaldeen Gahalrsoul Faragalla, a veterinarian and biochemistry PhD student at the University of Al-Butana, said that due to the war, they could not continue their practical education. Faragalla said that he wants to continue his practical training at the research center in Türkiye and pursue a PhD in biochemistry. Rashida Ebrahim Hussein, a senior student at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Al-Butana, said that they made a new start to their academic life by coming to Türkiye.

Turkish students at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, on the other hand, said that they will welcome the students, who had to leave their countries and continue their education life in Türkiye, in a way befitting Turkish people and that they are proud that Türkiye opens its doors to scientists who are in difficult situations all over the world.

​​