Our History

Humble Beginnings, Strong Foundations

The Catholic University of South Sudan represents a dream long deferred. In 1983, the late Pope John Paul II spoke with then President J. M. Nimeiry about founding a Catholic University in the Sudan.

In 2003, during the canonization of St. Daniel Comboni, Pope John Paul II again encouraged the Sudanese bishops to establish a Catholic university that would serve the people of Sudan and South Sudan.

Vision Realized After the Peace Agreement

Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference officially decided to found the university at their General Assembly in July 2007.

In September 2008, CUofSS welcomed its first students into the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the Juba Campus. The following year, in October 2009, the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences was launched in Wau, Western Bahr El Ghazal State.

Growing Impact Across the Nation

In its eighth academic year, CUofSS had over 930 students in Juba and 450 students in Wau. Four cohorts have already graduated, totaling 336 alumni, who are actively contributing to South Sudan’s development.

CUofSS is affiliated with the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, which confers degrees to graduates.