The Nihal European University in Sudan

Mrs. Azza El Rayah El Aydaross, the spouse of Badawi Mustafa El Sheikh, former Minister of Education (1965), is also the sponsor of the schools that already exist. She was the driving force behind the founding of university in 1997. This led in 1999 to the formation of Sudanese commission of professors and former university presidents who in 2002 submitted an application for the authorization of four faculties (media sciences, literary studies and linguistics, translation studies and economics) to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The approval of this application followed in 2003 along with the naming by the Ministry of Dr. Mohamed Badawi, son of Mrs. Azza El Rayah El Aydaross, as the founding president (or rector) of the university.

The project did not progress however until the founding president renewed it after returning from trip to Sudan in January 2007. In this connection the idea of German university for greater Khartoum was raised. Dr. Mohamed Badawi could also make contact with the minister now responsible for such matters, Prof. Dr. Peter Kuk, who was incidentally professor at the German Orient-Institute in Hamburg. In addition private contacts have proven to be very helpful: there was meeting arranged in Konstanz between the founding university president and the wife of the minister, who is also the sister of the best friend of Dr. Mohamed Badawi from his school days.

In Konstanz an informal team of three was then formed in order to produce the first draft of the plan for the Nihal European University in Sudan. The members of the team were:

• Dr. Mohamed Badawi (University of Konstanz)
• Dr. Christine Gohl
• Mr. Christian A. Caroli

On the 7^th of February 2007 first draft of the plan was completed, which was shortly thereafter presented to Prof. Dr. Peter Kuk. In the previous weeks we expanded the plan for the university from German one to more general European one, based on his suggestions and with his consent. At the same time he had proposed the name Nihal (meaning “God with us” in the Dinka language) which is how the university acquired its final name Nihal European University in Sudan. The minister is himself fundamentally in favour of the project. The first official Sudanese commission at the site insisted upon the establishment of suitable site for locating the administrative buildings and lecture halls.

During this phase contacts were made to Prof. Dr. Horst Sund and Dr. Gerhild Framhein-Peisert, both of the University of Konstanz, and both of whom immediately declared their willingness to support this project. At the same time Prof. Dr. Gerhart von Graevenitz, president of the University of Konstanz, announced his interest in the project as well. Thus meeting took place on the 25^th of April with Prof. Dr. Horst Sund and on the 30^th of April with Prof. Dr. Gerhart von Graevenitz. In both cases we consulted about how to proceed and both professors provided useful advice, again offering their support.

During this phase it was time and again possible to obtain further members of the planning commission so that at the beginning of May the commission consisted of the following persons:

• Prof. Dr. Horst Sund (University of Konstanz)
• Dr. Gerhild Framhein-Peisert (University of Konstanz, consulting member)
• Prof. Dr. Oliver Fabel (University of Konstanz, consulting member)
• Dr. Mohamed Badawi (University of Konstanz)
• Dr. Christine Gohl
• Dr. des. Christian A. Caroli
• Dipl.-Arch. Harald Beeger
• Herbert Bühl
• Hubl Greiner (technical director)
• Heidrun Badawi (consultant in school affairs)
• Heidrun Horeczky
• Andrea Grau
• Heike Hahn
• Sara Effinger
• Kendra Lorenz
• Nadja El Bakri
• Iman El Bakri
• Felix Arnold

In Sudan the following supported us in an advisory capacity:

• Prof. Dr. Gasem Badri (President of the Al-Ahfad-University in Omdurman)
• Prof. Dr. Abu al-Rahman Adam (University of Khartoum)
• Prof. Dr. Mamoun El Sheikh (University of Qatar)
• Amin Abdul Lateef (former Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan)

In project meeting on the 10^th of May the development of this draft plan was agreed upon.

On business trip planned for July / August 2007 Dr. Mohamed Badawi will conduct further negotiations on location with the President of the Republic of Sudan and the responsible ministers. Here his priority will be to acquire property (with an ideal total area of 200 ha) from the government. Such property would make it possible for the Nihal European University in Sudan to structure itself architecturally as campus-based university since this form will reduce the distances involved. Thus the administrative processes of the university (including the communication between central administration and the faculties) would not be inhibited through the need to travel long distances. Hence the space should be sufficient if the university requires expansion in the near future. For agricultural sciences and possibly for the botanic realm of future Department of Biology there would be sufficient fertile land for cultivation. Finally it is desirable that there is property near the university for building dormitories and faculty apartments (as well as guesthouse).