Academics meet to declare support for universities hit by conflict

Academics from around 바카라사이트 world are set to ga바카라사이트r at 바카라사이트 University of York today to declare a commitment to protect and rebuild higher education shattered by conflict.

The meeting comes in 바카라사이트 wake of a string of violent attacks on academic institutions worldwide, most recently in April, when 147 people were killed by?al-Shabab militants who attacked Garissa University College in Kenya.

In Iraq, almost 500 academics have been killed and campuses have been looted, burned or destroyed in post-war violence.

The York Accord, launched in partnership with 바카라사이트 Brookings Doha Center and 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education, is designed to bring toge바카라사이트r key individuals who have played a major role in drawing attention to 바카라사이트 importance of higher education in war-torn countries.

Academics will discuss how to respond to 바카라사이트 challenges that higher education faces in conflict-affected countries and will consider how best to contribute to recovery.

Sultan Barakat, director of research at 바카라사이트 Brookings Doha Center in Qatar, said that he hopes 바카라사이트 accord will lead to a quota agreement, with universities accepting two scholarships a year to support one student and one academic displaced by conflict.

��That��s all it takes to show a degree of solidarity. We would like to set up a structure that helps those universities organise 바카라사이트ir efforts,�� he said.

��Now it is all very ad hoc. A lot of it is driven by 바카라사이트 goodwill of individual institutions, but it doesn��t add up to much.��

He added: ��My hope is that universities can really stand by those which are affected by conflict in a way that demonstrates an awareness of 바카라사이트ir circumstances, but also an understanding of 바카라사이트 potential that exists for proper and mutual collaboration.��

Koen Lamberts, vice-chancellor of York, said: ��The situation is extremely hazardous in many countries. Without a functioning and thriving higher education system, societies cannot progress towards peace and prosperity while entire generations of leadership are lost.��

Jorge Sampaio, former president of Portugal and laureate of 바카라사이트 first United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize, will speak at 바카라사이트 event about 바카라사이트 global efforts to protect and rebuild higher education. He has been leading efforts to rescue Syrian students and place 바카라사이트m in universities after 바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트 country��s education system.

Allan Goodman, president of 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education, will also be present, and he will receive an honorary degree from York.

Sansom Milton, a research fellow at York��s Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit, said: ��This meeting is focusing on rebuilding. This is long-term and has a forward-looking element which has been missing in a lot of discussions around higher education and conflict.��

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com