91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ

The ongoing conflicts in some Arab countries (Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Sudan) have generated the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in recent years. As for Syria only, almost 13.1 million Syrians are now in need of assistance, with 6.1 million individuals internally displaced as key infrastructure and support mechanisms continue to deteriorate.

The conflicts have had a negative impact on many aspects of daily life in the region, including that of education: an estimated 8.1 million Syrian children and youth both inside Syria and in neighboring countries are in need of education support. The crisis has had a detrimental impact on the higher education sector, causing significant negative qualitative shifts.

At this juncture, a comprehensive review of the current state of higher education in the countries in conflict, featuring first-hand evidence, would enable the assessment of the current and future challenges faced by the sector.

Against this backdrop, UNESCO Beirut and UK NARIC (the designated United Kingdom national agency for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills), are undertaking a joint research project on the current state of Syrian higher education in light of the ongoing conflict. The research project included the first ever field visits to the most damaged universities in Syria post-2011, including: Al Baath University (Homs, Palmyra), Al Furat University (Deir e-Zor), Aleppo University (Aleppo), and Damascus University (Daraa).

A first critical review of its kind, this project is intended to produce an up-to-date report on the state of play in higher education provision in Syria, and the recognition of Syrian higher education qualifications, related to the Lisbon Recognition Convention. It will look at the internal and international displacement of the students and academics as a result of the conflict, and the recognition and acceptance of refugees’ and IDPs qualifications.