Reengineering Higher Education in Sudan: Research and Development as a Model (2-3)

On Jul 22, 2025

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Baqi

The new form of universities in the nineteenth century evolved following the German model, which inspired the establishment of modern universities across Europe, America, and the rest of the world. This development continued until we reached the modern form of higher education, where universities are considered the foundation of education in the twenty-first century. These universities were classified according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, an institution that has been classifying higher education institutions in the United States since 1973. This classification is renewed every three years, with the latest one being in 2025. Under this classification, universities are divided into several categories as follows:

(a) The academic degrees they award (Doctorate, Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Diplomas) — under six types,

(b) Mixed academic programs, which fall into three types: colleges specialized in a particular academic field, colleges with an industrial or professional orientation, or mixed programs where the university graduates more than 50% of its degree holders in a specific academic field,

In line with this structure and governance, multiple and diverse goals were set for higher education institutions, upon which — with some variations — most universities around the world were founded. The goals of universities can be summarized into three main functions:
(1) Preparing human resources: This is one of the most important functions historically associated with university education, as it involves preparing the necessary personnel who will occupy high-level scientific, technical, professional, and administrative positions and enabling them to assume intellectual leadership roles across various activities by offering consultations and developing leadership personalities.
(2) Cultural and intellectual stimulation: The dissemination of knowledge and culture is one of the university’s missions, as it serves as a hub for intellectual and cognitive enlightenment, the development of scientific and professional skills, and the foundational stone for national development processes. Universities play a significant role in advancing knowledge, promoting ethical values, and uplifting society, as well as being responsible for preserving the community’s identity and adapting it to future challenges.
(3) Scientific research (advancing knowledge): Scientific research is one of the three most crucial functions of modern university education. The university is expected to produce knowledge and necessary inventions, engage in deep scientific research to advance human knowledge, and utilize this knowledge to serve humanity and society by diagnosing social and economic problems and finding scientific solutions to improve life within the communities of these institutions. Thus, a university cannot truly exist if it neglects scientific research.

Since the goals of higher education institutions are extensive and multifaceted, this paper focuses on Research and Development (R&D), one of the most important goals of universities due to its significant role in enriching academic life by producing research that results in new innovations, which in turn lead to new products, industries, or commercially valuable services that contribute to improving society’s quality of life. So, what is research and development?

Research and Development (R&D):

Scientific research is of great importance to both the researcher and society. It enhances the researcher’s expertise and knowledge, helps them understand the surrounding reality, and provides them with the ability to analyze natural and non-natural phenomena and reach new and useful facts through the scientific method, by consulting sources, books, and scientific outputs in their area of specialization. Undoubtedly, scientific research is the tool that enabled humanity to invent machines, which were the primary reason for transitioning from agricultural societies to industrial ones. Moreover, today’s advancement in scientific and technological knowledge has played a major role in moving industrial societies into the digital revolution era, where information, services, and goods are constantly renewed and transmitted at lightning speed across borders and time zones.

With the information revolution, the radical change in human lifestyles, and the increasing needs of modern societies, scientific research has become an urgent necessity for community security in areas such as social security, healthcare, food, environmental preservation, energy security, and beyond.

The term “Research and Development” has become one of the most prominent terms in the field of scientific research in the twenty-first century. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines it as: creative and systematic activities aimed at increasing the stock of knowledge — including knowledge of humanity, culture, and society — and using this knowledge to develop new applications that result in industrial or service products leading to community development and solutions to its challenges.

According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the term “Research and Development” emerged in the early twentieth century, referring initially to industrial production and the innovation processes that led to new products, followed by laboratories, prototypes, and eventually marketing operations. All inventions and innovations stem from research, which can be fundamental (basic), applied, or innovation-focused. By the mid-twentieth century, scientific research was classified into:

Basic research: aimed at discovering new knowledge or understanding the essence of technology, and which can also be utilized to address specific problems.

Applied research: which exploits the outputs of basic research to meet particular needs in a society.

Research and Development: focusing on creating new products, modifying existing ones, or providing social services that ease community life.

For this reason, R&D has become an integral part of economic planning for governments and the private sector in the United States, Japan, and Europe. Both public and private sectors undertake R&D, and due to its importance, governments have established R&D centers to serve societal purposes and improve quality of life. Governments have also funded research universities from state budgets, in collaboration with the private sector and some external partners, to enable these universities to contribute to economic and social development — particularly to foster what is known as a knowledge economy based on scientific research. To achieve R&D goals, many countries in America, Europe, Asia, and the Arab world have adopted the concept of research universities. So, what are research universities?

Research Universities:

A research university is one where all academic staff members are actively engaged in scientific research as a primary and ongoing focus, rather than merely as a means to gain academic titles or promotions. These universities gather the best scientific researchers, allowing their students to benefit from the expertise of such faculty. The concept originated in Germany in the nineteenth century and reached its peak of development and success in the United States and Japan. The concept revolves around three foundational principles: integrating teaching with research, academic freedom, and viewing the nature of scientific research as open-ended and limitless.

Research universities emphasize scientific research through postgraduate programs and focus on applied research that serves industry. They are characterized by a set of features: good governance of education, attracting and concentrating talent, securing funding, high-quality research and graduates, technology transfer, and localization. To further clarify, the OECD published a report outlining six main characteristics of research universities: conducting both basic and applied research; ensuring teaching is research-based; maintaining an integrated academic system; offering a high proportion of research-focused postgraduate programs; generating a significant portion of their income from external sources; and having an international outlook. According to this definition, a research university is not only concerned with applied research that has direct benefits but also with basic research that contributes to expanding human knowledge.

After this detailed explanation of R&D and the importance of research universities in leading this field, let us now examine the state of scientific research in Sudan in light of the above discussion.

Scientific Research in Sudan:

The origins of scientific research in Sudan date back to the establishment of the Cotton Research Center at the Gezira Scheme by the British in 1904, followed by another research center known as the Veterinary Research Laboratory. This was later succeeded by the establishment of agricultural and medical research stations, such as the Istak Laboratory. From that time through the post-independence period and until the beginning of the third millennium, scientific research did not receive significant attention, as ruling elites were primarily focused on political issues, governance challenges, and building the structures of the nation-state. Research was viewed as a form of luxury. Most attention was directed towards political and governance issues, with little consideration of the role of scientific research in overcoming these challenges in a way that could illuminate the path toward the advancement and well-being of Sudanese society through well-studied, scientific means.

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