By Matik Kueth
Starford International University College has officially attained full university status following a ministerial order issued by the Government of South Sudan through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.
The upgrade, issued in Ministerial Order No. (23) 2025, signed on October 21, 2025, by Minister Madut Biar Yel, who also chairs the National Council for Higher Education.
The order grants Starford International University College full accreditation as Starford International University (SIU) after it met all the academic and institutional standards required by the ministry.
Minister Yel, invoking powers under Article 114 of the Transitional Constitution (2011, as amended) and Sections 12(1)(b) and 18(b) of the Higher Education Act, 2012, formally directed relevant authorities to implement the upgrade without delay.
Founded in 2015 by educationist Dium Cyerdit, Starford has evolved into one of South Sudan’s fastest-growing private higher learning institutions.
The university currently offers diploma and undergraduate programs in business administration, computer science, education, and public administration.
With its newly conferred university status, Starford is preparing to launch postgraduate and master’s programs in select fields, a move expected to boost research, innovation, and professional development in the country.
In a statement, the university management hailed the government’s decision as “a recognition of Starford’s commitment to academic excellence and national transformation through education.”
According to the Ministry of Higher Education, the decision is part of a broader national strategy to strengthen quality assurance, institutional accountability, and academic competitiveness across South Sudan’s tertiary education sector.
The ministerial order, titled “Upgrading of Starford International University College to Starford International University (SIU)”, took effect immediately upon the Minister’s signature.