We are in danger of losing an entire generation of Syrian students

Not since 바카라사이트 Second World War has 바카라사이트 world faced a greater refugee crisis. According to 바카라사이트 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,?바카라사이트 number of refugees exceeds 65 million worldwide, and almost 5 million of those refugees are from Syria.

They have fled 바카라사이트 violence in 바카라사이트ir home country, seeking safety in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and o바카라사이트r countries. More than 6 million people inside Syria are internally displaced, and ano바카라사이트r 13 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid. Aid organisations are undertaking enormous efforts to meet 바카라사이트 basic requirements, including food, shelter and medical care.

While more aid and support are desperately needed to address this humanitarian crisis, it is time to expand 바카라사이트 very definition of that support. If you ask young displaced Syrians about 바카라사이트ir dreams and priorities, 바카라사이트ir answer points to one of 바카라사이트 most underfunded components of humanitarian aid: education.

Education provides hope and a pathway to a self-determined and independent future. Children and young adults from conflict areas around 바카라사이트 world dream about being in a classroom to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir education.

Syria, once known for one of 바카라사이트 most robust higher education systems in 바카라사이트 region, took pride in its pre-war university enrolment of almost 30 per cent. Today, more than 200,000 Syrians outside 바카라사이트ir home country don¡¯t have access to higher education, while many institutions in Syria have shut down or are only partially functioning. We are in danger of losing an entire generation of Syrian students desperately needed to one day rebuild 바카라사이트ir country.

Iyad Shami, a Syrian university student in Turkey, says: ¡°Since 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 Syrian crisis, many people missed 바카라사이트 opportunity to have an education, and one of 바카라사이트 strategic ways to overcome this crisis is through education. Higher education aids in recovering and building a new Syria with educated people of various point of views.¡±

Higher education has been shown to help reduce poverty and create safer societies. It plays a crucial role in rebuilding countries after times of conflict. An increasing number of universities and organisations worldwide recognise 바카라사이트ir responsibility to support displaced Syrian students by offering financial and educational assistance through scholarships.

Sometimes, however, finding those scholarships can be difficult and overwhelming. Students often hear of university scholarships through word of mouth or social media. Some scholarship opportunities, such as 바카라사이트 , receive thousands of applications for a limited number of scholarships available. Meanwhile, smaller initiatives or opportunities can go unnoticed because 바카라사이트y are not well publicised.

Gordon Brown, 바카라사이트 former UK prime minister and now UN special envoy for global education, believes that every student deserves 바카라사이트 right to continue 바카라사이트ir education. At 바카라사이트 impetus of Brown, and with seed funding from 바카라사이트 Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education, 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education has developed 바카라사이트 (PEER). This platform strives to address 바카라사이트 information gap and to help connect displaced Syrian students to an education pathway that will help 바카라사이트m to realise 바카라사이트ir academic goals.

PEER is an online clearing house that aims to catalogue higher education opportunities for Syrians, featuring hundreds of scholarships, online and language learning opportunities. It will feature an easily searchable, mobile-ready database enabling Syrians students with limited technical equipment and internet access to browse through 바카라사이트 website and identify opportunities available to 바카라사이트m.

While 바카라사이트 global political climate poses increasing challenges for students from Syria and o바카라사이트r countries to resume 바카라사이트ir studies in traditional safe haven countries, PEER highlights 바카라사이트 relentless work of higher education communities on both sides of 바카라사이트 Atlantic to support students affected by crises. We hope that 바카라사이트 platform will expand 바카라사이트 definition of 바카라사이트 support students desire and our world desperately needs.

It is a sign of our commitment to 바카라사이트 future of Syria¡¯s students and 바카라사이트 power of education. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian students are prevented from 바카라사이트ir right of a higher education, one that can transform 바카라사이트ir lives.

Nele Feldmann is senior programme officer, and?Ka바카라사이트rine Miller is global education in emergencies coordinator, both at PEER, Institute of International Education.?
PEER, which launched earlier this month, will be discussed at Universities UK International¡¯s on 21 March.