The goal of Ahfad University for Woman is to prepare women to assume responsible roles in their families, communities, and in the nation. In keeping with this objective “the Ahfad experience” embraces a combination of well articulated academic courses, on-the-job training, individual research, and community extension activities. This combination of activities is designed to prepare women from all parts of Sudan to become change agents in their families and communities and to assume leadership positions in society.

Professor Yusuf Badri expanded on Sheik Babiker’s vision by creating significant new opportunities for higher education for Sudanese women. In one radical step, Professor Yusuf incorporated a philosophy of secular education and clear goals for educated women in a changing society on an apolitical campus. This last factor is critical because higher education institutions in Sudan have a long history of political activity that regularly keeps the campuses closed due to political protest or strikes. Ahfad students would focus on education. They could engage in religious and political actions off campus on their own time.

This vision is rooted in Sheik Babiker’s purpose in establishing his school for girls in 1907. He combined the traditional Islamic devotion to learning with his then radical idea of providing secular education, in addition to religious instruction, to both boys and girls. Sheik Babiker saw that educated women were essential to achieving improvements in nutrition, health, child care, community development, and for preparing both young men and women for life in the emerging urban society of Sudan.