As part of the ongoing implementation of the Syrian Innovation in Academia (SyrIA) project, a high-level delegation from the German Jordanian University (GJU) visited Damascus to participate in a dialogue event aimed at strengthening cooperation with Syrian higher education institutions and supporting the modernization and internationalization of higher education in Syria.
The GJU delegation was headed by Prof. Ala’aldeen Al-Halhouli, President of the German Jordanian University, and included Prof. Ralf Rosskopf, GJU Vice President and SyrIA Project Principal Investigator; Prof. Dhiah el Diehn I. Abou-Tair, Project Co-Principal Investigator; Prof. Ala’ Khalifeh, Project Member; Dr. Christine Hildebrandt, Project Member; Mr. Ahmad Bayer, Project Member, Mr. Ibrahim Al Hariri, Project Member and with online patriation of Dr. Waed Al-Shakouri, Project Member. The delegation met with the presidents of Syrian public universities at Damascus University for a comprehensive dialogue focused on identifying priorities for the future development of the Syrian higher education sector.
The meeting commenced with an official welcome and opening session, bringing together university presidents and senior academic representatives to reaffirm their shared commitment to rebuilding institutional capacities and fostering sustainable academic partnerships. The dialogue underscored the importance of collaborative initiatives that contribute to enhancing the quality, resilience, and international engagement of Syrian universities during the country's recovery and development process.
A key highlight of the discussions was the presentation of the findings from the SyrIA project's field visits to Syrian universities. These findings provided an evidence-based overview of the current status of higher education institutions, highlighting existing strengths, identifying institutional challenges, and outlining opportunities for targeted capacity-building interventions. The presentation established a common foundation for subsequent discussions and informed the project's future activities.
The dialogue sessions focused on several strategic themes, including the academic and administrative challenges currently facing Syrian universities, institutional development priorities, and opportunities for expanding academic, scientific, and research cooperation between Syrian and European higher education institutions. Participants also reviewed the progress achieved through previous project dialogue activities, including outcomes of the Brussels meeting, preparations for the upcoming dialogue events, and planning for the SyrIA Conference as an important platform for academic exchange and regional cooperation.
Furthermore, the participants discussed the design and implementation of the project's upcoming training and capacity-building programme. Participants examined proposed workshop themes, implementation mechanisms, participant selection criteria, and coaching methodologies to ensure that future activities effectively address institutional needs and support sustainable knowledge transfer. The meeting concluded with an extensive discussion on the project's next phase, during which participants agreed on a set of recommendations and an initial action plan to guide future cooperation, strengthen institutional partnerships, and maximize the long-term impact of the SyrIA project.