Higher Education in Crisis settings matters – listening to Syrian voices and other testimonials

On-Line Side Event to the Brussels V Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”

 ‘Higher Education in Crisis settings matters – listening to Syrian voices and other testimonials’

25 March 2021 (11am - 1 pm CET time)

Introductory words

Thank you for the invitation. It is my great pleasure to join you today at this very important session and address the issue of higher education and its importance for the future of Syria. 

• As we all know, the human and social toll of the conflict in Syria has been devastating. The conflict’s effect on infrastructure, the economy and the social fabric have been detrimental and costed around $$ 450 billion.
• Empowering the conflict generation of Syrian children and youth through innovative investment in education is crucial for enhancing resilience, boosting socioeconomic recovery and peacebuilding.
• Initiatives, like the Portuguese scholarship emergency programme, aimed to promote education, and particularly higher education, are crucial for post-conflict recovery and better social cohesion.

NAFS

• As many of you know, ESCWA launched the National Agenda for the Future of Syria (NAFS) Programme in 2012 to serve as a platform for dialogue for a wide spectrum of Syrian stakeholders from different walks of life and from across the political spectrum.
• Education is an area of great importance for the NAFS Programme. NAFS’s work has addressed the implications of the conflict on the education sector and proposed ways to overcome the challenges it faces.
• The NAFS Programme has had the pleasure to work with the global platform for Syrian students in developing the summer school of 2018.

Impact of conflict on higher education

• Higher education sector has extensively suffered from a brain drain among its faculty and administrative staff. Official figures specify that the total loss in teaching staff has reached 22 per cent.
• According to our big data analysis project, the Syrian refugees have been struggling but keeping up with their host communities’ education level up to the university level, then refugees slip to around 25% below their host counterpart.
• Syria higher education situation and system has witnessed notable changes :

1. A drop in the number of applicants (High School graduates) and the lack of recognition of certain diplomas obtained;
2. A drop in the number of students enrolled (having passed entrance examinations);
3. A notable drop in the number of higher education graduates with a master’s degree or PhD, which in turn has affected the production of scientific research at Syrian universities.

Way forward on education

To address these challenges and empower higher education and the role it would play in the future of Syria, I would like to share with you some thoughts and recommendations:

• First, invest more in Initiatives that promote higher education, like the “ Portuguese Scholarship Programme” to create further opportunities for the students to use the knowledge they acquired to act and promote peacebuilding;
   
• Second, Women need focused attention and higher education opportunities since they are disadvantaged by cultural and security pressures
• Third, Refugees are connected communities, and this potential must be channeled for education at all levels especially for higher education and empowerment;
• Fourth, enhance vocational education and training to provide students with more options; and provide trainings to teaching personnel
• And last, Policy options to exempt education personal from mandatory military services must be adopted to ensure continuity in the education system;

At the end, I would also like to address few words to the inspiring students of Syria and those who benefited from this programme.  I would encourage you to keep in touch with each other….  share and transfer, as much as you can, the experiences you lived through this programme to a wider network of students from Syria. You are the driving forces for the sustainable future of Syria. Your social action and economic contribution will be critical for the development and growth of Syria.

Thank you