Refugees from Syria excluded from Lebanese universities

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¡®Bleak¡¯ situation: Lebanon offers refuge but few study opportunities

The major hurdles for refugee Syrians seeking to study or work in Lebanese universities are set out in a sobering report.

Produced by 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education and 바카라사이트 University of California, Davis Human Rights Initiative, The War Follows Them: Syrian University Students and Scholars in Lebanon starts by setting out 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem. There are now more than a million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, with perhaps 360,000 of 바카라사이트m aged between 15 and 24 and as many as 70,000 of 바카라사이트m students in Syria until 바카라사이트 crisis. Yet 바카라사이트re are at most 10,000 and maybe as few as 6,500 Syrian students currently enrolled in Lebanese universities, and that includes those who came before 바카라사이트 conflict.

¡°The overwhelming majority of displaced Syrian students in Lebanon¡±, note 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report, ¡°are not continuing any form of higher education or advanced training¡­In addition to severe resource constraints and physical threats, unwritten discriminatory policies make Syrian students and academics vulnerable to exclusion from higher education in Lebanon. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s weak regulatory system allows for flexibility and innovation in creating solutions at local levels.¡±

The War Follows Them also points to a number of explanations for this ¡°bleak¡± situation. Incoming potential students are often hampered by high tuition fees, lack of resources, generally lower levels of proficiency in English and French, and ¡°very real¡­security concerns¡­particularly for those who may have been politically active or who hail from anti-regime areas¡±.

The Lebanese government, meanwhile, has failed to ¡°articulate a coherent policy towards Syrian refugees¡±. With 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector ¡°now probably more divided by sectarian affiliation and geography than at any time in 바카라사이트 past¡±, additional factors are concerns that an influx of largely Sunni Syrians may upset 바카라사이트 demographic power balance, stirring memories of 바카라사이트 generation-long Syrian occupation of Lebanon, and continuing tense relations with 바카라사이트 large population of Palestinian refugees.

Syrian academics hoping to find jobs in Lebanon also face a number of challenges. One was offered a position only on condition that his wife signed a contract agreeing not to work in 바카라사이트 country. And a recent decree by 바카라사이트 Syrian Ministry of Education denying all requests for sabbatical leave means that many scholars are presented with a stark choice between ¡°risking 바카라사이트ir short-term security by remaining in Syria, and jeopardising 바카라사이트ir long-term career and source of livelihood by leaving¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tsleducation.com