The UNESCO Chair for Women in Science and Technology is a regional non-governmental organization whose activities cover Arab and African countries and was established at the initiative of Prof. Fatima Abdul Mahmoud, Director of the Chair and approval of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under the supervision of the vice chancellor of Sudan University for Science and Technology. The establishment ceremony was honored by Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO in December 2003. The current chair holder is Dr. Mariam Abbas Ibrahim Abdelghafour.
Sudan University for Science and Technology (SUST) was established in 1950 under the name "Khartoum Technical Institute" (KTI), and included various departments in engineering, arts and business studies. In 1976, some specialized institutes located in Khartoum at the time were attached to the departments KTI under the name of "Institute of Technological Colleges". In 1990, the university was restructured and given the name "Sudan University of Science and Technology".
Since its establishment, the university has been paying increasing attention to women issues in science and technology locally, regionally and internationally.
