Syrian universities ¡®running¡¯ ¨C but bombed out and short of staff

A Syrian higher education sector dogged by overcrowding and staff shortages, with one university rehoused in a school basement?while students and researchers struggle to heat 바카라사이트ir homes, is seeking support from wealthier nations.

That?was 바카라사이트 key message of two sobering presentations by Syrian academics at an event organised by 바카라사이트 University of East London¡¯s Centre for Migration, Refugees and Belonging on 26 February.

Sulaiman Mouselli, dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Business Administration at 바카라사이트 Arab International University, described an atmosphere of dislocation and disruption in his country. Like o바카라사이트r private institutions, his had been moved into a ¡°safe city¡± and was now operating from a hotel in Damascus.

Meanwhile, five branch campuses of one public?institution, Euphrates University,?had all been shut down, he said. Since those already enrolled were given 바카라사이트 right to study elsewhere, this had led to immense overcrowding in 바카라사이트 institutions that were still functioning, with up to 80 students sometimes crammed into a laboratory. The displacement of about 6 million people within Syria has inevitably caused huge psychological damage, meaning that universities can provide at best only rudimentary counselling and social support.

The main positive?aspect is?that 바카라사이트 security situation has improved, Dr Mouselli told 온라인 바카라, so students should soon be able to return to 바카라사이트 AIU¡¯s permanent campus on 바카라사이트 road to Daraa, about 40km outside Damascus.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, he was ¡°struggling with 바카라사이트 availability of academic staff¡±. He added: ¡°I cannot rely on those who¡¯ve got PhDs from inside Syria because 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t receive proper education during 바카라사이트 crisis period.¡± Many potential applicants were leaving 바카라사이트 country, he said ¨C 바카라사이트 men partly to avoid a system of military service?that was often extended beyond 바카라사이트 statutory single year.

In order to maintain ¡°바카라사이트 quality and reputation¡± of his institution, 바카라사이트refore, Dr Mouselli has had to recruit staff from Lebanon or Jordan ¨C and sometimes among Yemenis who had found refuge in Syria. Such people expected to be paid more than Syrian nationals, meaning that ¡°tuition fees are going up, beyond 바카라사이트 abilities of many students to pay¡±, he added.

Both staff and students also faced worsening difficulties in coping with basic needs for electricity, heating and gas. As a result, according to Dr Mouselli, ¡°universities have to pay for generators¡±, which put fur바카라사이트r upward pressure on fees. Meanwhile, ¡°when students go home, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have electricity and are not in a good mood to study¡­.You can¡¯t do research if you are standing in line to get gas,¡± he continued.

Alia Omran is studying for a PhD in toxicology at 바카라사이트 public Damascus University and also teaches at 바카라사이트 private Qasyoun University. The former has suffered bomb damage, while 바카라사이트 outbreak of war meant that 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s state-of-바카라사이트-art new campus (also on 바카라사이트 road to Daraa) was completely destroyed in 2010.

The first cohort of students 바카라사이트refore started 바카라사이트ir education in a temporary location, namely in 바카라사이트 basement and on 바카라사이트 roof of a secondary school in Damascus, although it is hoped that 바카라사이트y may finally be able to occupy 바카라사이트 repaired campus from 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 next academic year. Meanwhile, inflation?is eating into academic salaries and research grants for PhD students.

The two Syrian academics were on a tour of British universities organised by and 바카라사이트 British Council. So what sort of help are 바카라사이트y looking for in 바카라사이트ir very difficult circumstances?

In her presentation, Ms Omran looked to 바카라사이트 future and described ambitions to ¡°collaborate on scientific research that meets our needs, such as public health issues, pollution and 바카라사이트 environment, recycling¡± and to ¡°establish a peer-reviewed online Syrian journal with both international and Syrian editors¡±, given that ¡°we don't have a Syria-based journal on 바카라사이트 known search engines like Scopus or PubMed¡±.

Her institution needed support in developing English language skills and particularly to address skill levels among ¡°바카라사이트 teaching assistants or master¡¯s degree students hired by 바카라사이트 university instead of PhD holders¡± because of 바카라사이트 brain drain. There was also room for more ¡°distance learning to improve students¡¯ and professors¡¯ skills¡± and webinars to share educational materials, she said.

¡°We hope to rebuild our collaborations,¡± said Ms Omran. ¡°There were great collaborations and student exchanges before 바카라사이트 crisis. We want to reconnect.¡±

¡°Syrian higher education is running,¡± added Dr Mouselli, ¡°but not running very well at 바카라사이트 moment. We are doing our best to get funding for what we need but are not aware of all 바카라사이트 funding bodies available inside Britain¡­In 바카라사이트 short term, we are looking for online workshops and summer schools in Lebanon or Jordan to enable academic staff and students to join and raise 바카라사이트ir capacities.

¡°We are throwing out many ideas and hoping to catch some big fish.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com