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.