Amany, a third-year medical student, never imagined her dreams would end within the walls of her home. For more than two years, her university has remained closed due to the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, now in its 29th month. Her notebooks have turned into old, forgotten papers stacked in the corner of her room.
“I feel like I’m stuck between two times,” she says. “I’m neither a student nor a graduate, and everything I worked for has suddenly collapsed.”
She continues, “Some of my classmates had to take menial jobs unrelated to their fields, others fled with their families to neighboring countries, and several of my professors joined universities abroad.”
Her daily routine, she says, is a reflection of that void: “I wake up every morning without a clear purpose. My friends have scattered—some left for Egypt or Uganda, while others gave up studying altogether. I sometimes work in a small clothing shop to help my family, but deep down I feel my life is being wasted for nothing.”
Meanwhile, Mai Al-Fateh, an economics student, says: “The ongoing closure of universities made us lose our sense of time. We’re in our fifth academic year on paper, but we haven’t gone beyond third-year courses. Some lecture halls became shelters for displaced people, and libraries are locked. We’re trapped—neither students nor graduates.”
Mohamed Suleiman, a civil engineering student, shares his story: “I was forced to leave Sudan after my university was closed for over two years. I enrolled in a private university in Egypt, but the tuition fees are extremely high. My family can no longer afford the payments, so now I’m at risk of being expelled. I don’t know if I’ll ever complete my studies or return home without a degree.”
Academic Vacuum
According to Abdullah Al-Tayeb, a researcher in higher education, “Since the war broke out, most public and private universities in Sudan have shut down. It’s estimated that more than 70 universities have stopped operating fully or partially, leaving at least 600,000 students out of classrooms. Some institutions tried to adopt online learning, but weak infrastructure and unreliable internet made it unsustainable.”
He adds, “Students have already lost at least two full academic years. Entire cohorts, especially in practical fields like medicine and engineering, are at risk of losing their education since practical training cannot be replaced by online teaching. The most dangerous part is that Sudan is now in an academic vacuum, halting the production of skilled professionals essential for post-war reconstruction.”
As for solutions, Al-Tayeb stresses, “It’s vital to seriously support distance learning initiatives through partnerships with regional universities to provide stable platforms for Sudanese students. Exam centers and practical labs could also be set up in neighboring countries to prevent further loss of academic years. But most importantly, higher education institutions must be separated from political and military rivalries—otherwise, we risk losing an entire generation.”
Brain Drain
The impact of the university shutdown extends beyond students. Many professors have been forced to migrate in search of stable academic environments.
Hassan Abdeljalil, a physics professor at a Sudanese university, says, “I had to leave after more than a year without classes. I accepted a job offer from a university in Egypt, as the situation at home no longer allowed for any academic activity. Universities were closed and turned into shelters for displaced families. Sadly, hundreds of my colleagues have also emigrated—to Egypt, Uganda, Chad, and Turkey. Sudan is losing qualified professionals every day who could have helped rebuild the nation.”
He adds, “Migration is no longer a personal choice but a necessity. Salaries in Sudan can’t even cover daily living costs, let alone research or teaching expenses. In contrast, universities abroad provide financial and academic stability and enable research and publication. Inside Sudan, almost all research projects have stopped.”
The professor warns, “If this brain drain continues, Sudan will soon face a shortage of qualified academics. Hundreds of experienced professors have already left, affecting not only current students but the entire future of higher education, making recovery even harder.”
Battleground for Power
Mustafa Abdullah, a higher education specialist, explains that “universities in Sudan have long been more than academic institutions—they were political battlegrounds. Over the years, political and military forces have sought to influence or control them. The current war has deepened this trend, with some universities closed entirely or repurposed as military bases or shelters. Education has become hostage to political agendas rather than a national priority.”
He adds, “Each armed faction tries to assert control over key facilities, including universities. As a result, higher education has become a direct victim of the war, threatening Sudan’s long-term future. Unless universities are immediately depoliticized and restored to their rightful role, the country risks losing an entire generation—not only educationally, but socially and politically as well.”
However, youth activist Ahmed Al-Tayeb argues that “blaming the crisis solely on politics ignores the government’s direct failure. Even before the war, education was never prioritized—the infrastructure was weak, curricula outdated, and funding almost nonexistent. The war only worsened an already failing system. So it’s misleading to place all the blame on political conflict while absolving the authorities of their responsibilities.”
He continues, “To this day, there’s no clear plan to reopen universities or support students. What we need is genuine political will to put education above all divisions, ensuring proper funding and a conducive learning environment. Universities shouldn’t just be seen as victims of conflict—they’ve long been neglected.”
Frustration and Depression
The closure of universities and the migration of professors have not only damaged academics but also deeply affected the mental health and daily lives of an entire generation. Many young Sudanese now find themselves stuck in a prolonged limbo—neither active students nor employable graduates.
This prolonged uncertainty has directly impacted mental well-being, according to youth organizations in Khartoum, which report rising cases of anxiety and depression among university students over the past two years, alongside growing interest in emigration, even through unsafe routes.
Psychiatrist Moawia Yousif explains, “University years are a formative stage in a person’s identity. When a student suddenly loses that sense of purpose, they become vulnerable to depression and collapse. We’re seeing increasing numbers of young people feeling that their lives are meaningless because they’ve lost the connection to their future. The most alarming part is that some are turning to dangerous alternatives—like illegal migration or even involvement in unlawful activities.”
