Let Syrian professors help their students

The basic situation of Syrian university professors is not that different from that of any Syrian refugee. The fifth year of a war has forced us to flee to neighbouring countries. We all suffer from poor living and economic conditions regardless of our educational status, especially with the shrinking humanitarian aid provided by international organisations and the absence of the ability to work legally in host countries.

Before the outbreak of the revolution in Syria in 2011, the five public universities there employed about 7,500 professors. Today, more than 2,000 university professors have been forced out of the country. Very few of them have returned to the university where they got their doctoral degree, and most of them are struggling to find jobs.

For example, in Turkey, I would estimate there are more than 600 unemployed Syrian university professors. There are also 250 academics in Jordan and Lebanon and dozens in Egypt and Iraq. There are about 500 professors in the liberated areas of northern Syria, who are also jobless as a result of the continuous indiscriminate bombardment and the difficulty of moving between cities.

As most academics in the region already know, there are also hundreds of thousands of Syrian students who are not able to finish their higher education because of the war. On the other hand, many international reports refer to the difficulties facing Syrian students in neighbouring countries – the difficulty of coping with the new curricula, language and ways of studying. But these challenges can turn into an opportunity for us, Syrian professors.

A Syrian professor has extensive experience in the curricula and teaching methods that Syrian students are used to. Besides, a Syrian professor is the person who is most able to understand the psychological and living conditions facing Syrian students because they are usually living in the same conditions.

Opening the door to Syrian professors to participate in educating Syrian students in neighbouring countries could create a great opportunity to help Syrian students, first and foremost, and secondly Syria’s professors.

Such an opportunity would have both economic and psychological benefits. In addition to the experience we have, we would like to help our students and, eventually, our war-weary homeland, to rescue it from the war that has taken it dozens of years backwards.

Collaboration

I should stress that granting Syrian professors the opportunity to contribute to educating Syrian youths does not mean excluding local professors. On the contrary, what is needed is collaboration between local professors and their Syrian counterparts to ensure the empowerment of Syrian students. This also could help to integrate them into their host societies.

We are also looking for an opportunity to resume our research. Many studies need to be conducted into the Syrian situation today and about future reconstruction plans, and involving Syrian researchers in such studies would make them more relevant to the Syrian situation.

Unfortunately, most programmes intended to help Syrians treat us as mere aid recipients. Changing this perception and starting to consider us the main component of a solution would largely decrease the burdens on host countries and international institutions. It would also help to find real solutions that Syrians could interact with as partners and not just recipients.

Similarly, the recently increased interest of Arab governments and international organisations in creating educational opportunities for Syrian refugees offers good opportunities to improve the education of Syrian refugees. It could help improve the situation of Syrian professors if they consider us a part of these possible opportunities.

Ammar Al-Ibrahim is a Syrian professor who holds a doctorate in agricultural economics. This article was first published by Al-Fanar Media.

The second part of this Special Report on higher education for refugees will be published in next week’s issue of University World News.