The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research () is the government minister responsible for Sudan's national portfolio of higher education and scientific research, including national policy and planning for universities and other higher-education institutions, student admission policies, regulation of public and non-state higher-education institutions, academic standards, scientific research policy, and international academic cooperation. The minister heads the ministry and serves as chair of the country's National Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research.
The current minister is Professor Ahmed Mudawi Musa, who was appointed by Prime Minister Kamil Idris on 3 July 2025 as part of the formation of the Government of Hope.
History and responsibilities
The ministry was established in 1971 with Ahmed Mohamed El Hassan as a minister during Gaafar Nimeiry's era, to formulate policies, plans, and programs for higher education and scientific research and to coordinate the activities of higher-education institutions.
According to the ministry's historical account, Sudanese higher education developed from institutions including the Scientific Institute established in 1912 and the Kitchener School of Medicine established in 1924. The higher-education system subsequently expanded to include public and private universities, colleges and specialised research institutes. The administration of the sector was later organised under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Higher-education institutions retain scientific, administrative and financial autonomy under their individual establishing legislation. At the same time, national policy and coordination are exercised through the ministry and the National Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research.
During the 2018–2019 Sudanese protests, al-Mahdi announced the suspension of studies at higher-education institutions in Khartoum State in December 2018 following widespread demonstrations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan and in March 2020, the minister Saghayroun ordered the temporary suspension of teaching and academic activities at public and non-governmental higher-education institutions as part of the government's response to the pandemic.
The current war caused extensive disruption to university infrastructure, displaced students and academic staff, and forced institutions to use alternative campuses, temporary centres and remote teaching arrangements. During the conflict, the ministry operated temporarily from Port Sudan.
Following the recapture of much of Khartoum by the Sudanese Armed Forces in 2025, the ministry began transferring administrative operations back to the capital and encouraging universities to return to their original campuses after rehabilitation. Under both Mohamed Hassan Dahab and Ahmed Mudawi Musa, maintaining academic continuity, accommodating displaced students and restoring damaged university facilities became major responsibilities of the portfolio.
In 2026, the ministry also discussed introducing artificial-intelligence-related study tracks into university curricula and reforms to the employment conditions and salaries of university academic staff.
National Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research The minister serves as chair of the National Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research. The council includes vice-chancellors and governing-board representatives of public and private universities, representatives of relevant government ministries, specialists in higher education and scientific research, and the ministry's senior administration.
The council's functions include formulating national higher-education and research policy, determining admission policies and student numbers, approving admission results, establishing minimum qualifications for academic and research staff, regulating the establishment of private and foreign higher-education institutions, and evaluating the performance of higher-education and research institutions. The council is supported by specialised scientific committees covering fields including engineering, medicine, agriculture and veterinary science, basic sciences, computer science, humanities, law and Islamic studies, education, economics and social sciences, and scientific research.
Ministers MinisterTook officeLeft officeGovernmentAhmed Mohamed El Hassan19711972Gaafar Nimeiry governmentEl Sheikh Mahgoub Gaafar19881989Al Mahdi governmentIbrahim Ahmed Omer19901996Omar al-Bashir governmentIbrahim Ahmed Omer2 December 199624 January 2000El Zubair Bashir Taha24 January 200023 February 2001Mubarak Muhammad Ali al-Majdhub23 February 200121 September 2005Peter Nyot Kok21 September 200526 December 2007Abd-al-Rahman Sa’id Abd-al Rahman26 December 200713 February 2008Peter Adwok Nyaba14 September 200827 December 2011Khamis Kajou Kunda27 December 20118 December 2013Sumaya Abu Kashawa8 December 20139 September 2018Al-Sadiq al-Hadi al-Mahdi9 September 201813 March 2019Suhair Ahmed Salah13 March 201911 April 2019TMC transitional governmentIntisar el-Zein Saghayroun8 September 201919 January 2022Abdalla Hamdok governmentMohamed Hassan Dahab Ahmed (acting)1 February 20223 July 2025Osman Hussein governmentAhmed Mudawi Musa3 July 2025IncumbentGovernment of Hope
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