Sudan has taken a significant step towards the formal recognition of digital learning in higher education, following the approval of new regulations governing e-learning and blended learning across the country’s universities.
Decision No. 138 of 2026, signed on 12 September by the President of the National Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research, gives e-learning and blended learning an officially recognised legal and regulatory foundation within Sudanese higher education. The decision marks an important shift: digital learning is no longer treated only as an emergency response to disruption, but as part of the country’s long-term higher education system.
The regulations define e-learning as the use of digital platforms and media to deliver lectures, academic content, communication and assessment, either in real time or asynchronously. Blended learning combines classroom and laboratory attendance with online learning, depending on the requirements of each programme and applicable quality standards.
For Sudan, the decision comes at a critical moment. Years of political instability, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war that began in April 2023 have placed severe pressure on universities, students and staff. Many students and academics have been displaced, while buildings, laboratories and libraries have been damaged. During this period, digital learning helped some institutions continue teaching, but questions around recognition, examinations, quality assurance and regulation remained unresolved.
The new framework gives universities a clearer basis on which to plan and deliver digital and blended learning. It also opens possibilities for students living abroad, working people who cannot attend classes daily, learners in remote areas and those unable to participate regularly in face-to-face education.
The decision builds on earlier initiatives by Sudanese universities. National University–Sudan was among the first institutions to adopt e-learning early, having participated in several editions of the eLearning Africa Conference between 2013 and 2019. Drawing on those experiences, the university adopted e-learning systems in 2017, established an educational platform and developed tools to deliver lectures, share academic content, communicate with students and monitor learning remotely.
That early investment proved important during later crises. According to Professor Bakri Abdul Karim of National University–Sudan, the university was able to use its digital platform, digital library and student email system to continue operating during periods when regular attendance on campus was not possible.
The Sudanese decision also points to a wider lesson for higher education systems across Africa. E-learning cannot succeed through platforms alone. It requires reliable electricity and internet services, trusted digital systems, protection of student data, mechanisms to verify identity and prevent cheating, and sustained training for faculty, students and administrators. It also requires courses to be designed for digital learning, rather than simply moving a traditional lecture onto a screen.
The digital divide remains a central challenge. Not all students can afford suitable devices or internet access, and connectivity varies widely between cities, states and displaced communities. Implementation will therefore need to be accompanied by policies that support students, provide affordable educational internet services, create digital centres and make learning materials available offline.
Sudan’s new regulations do not replace face-to-face education. Many programmes, including medicine, engineering and the sciences, still require laboratories, clinical training and fieldwork. But by recognising blended learning as part of the higher education system, the country has created a framework that could help universities become more flexible, resilient and accessible.
If properly implemented and supported by investment in infrastructure, training and quality assurance, the decision could become a turning point for Sudanese higher education – moving digital learning from scattered institutional initiatives to a regulated national system.
Written by Professor Bakri Abdul Karim, The National University- Sudan, B.karim@sarc-sd.org
