Status and trends in university admissions for women in Sudan: A graphical data analysis

Abstract

This research utilizes Sudanese university application and admissions data for the academic years 2015–16 and 2016–17 to develop a comprehensive characterization of the situation of women students in higher education. To this end, we examine gender-related differences in various factors, including geographical factors (state or origin, state of preferred and admitting university), performance factors (GPA ranking, acceptance percentages) and preference factors (preferred/admitted field of study). Bachelor’s (4-year degree) and diploma (2–3 year degree) data are examined separately. A graphical data analysis methodology (implemented in R software) is used to clearly represent relationships and trends in the variables. Results show that in many aspects of university education Sudanese women enjoy near parity with men, and in some respects hold the advantage. Women in Sudan surpass in education and medical fields but lag in business, law, and economics. Women lag especially in engineering fields, although participation rates are comparable to those found in the U.S. and appear to reflect women’s own preferences and priorities rather than systemic bias. Gender inequalities are regional in nature, and less-developed areas and conflict areas in Sudan tend to produce a lower proportion of women students. We conclude that increasing the number of high-quality universities in areas where women are under-represented may improve the rate of women’s participation, as women are less likely than men to leave their home state to attend university. We also discuss the implications of women’s participation in higher education on subsequent political events in Sudan, especially the 2019 popular revolution.