Syria participated in the fifth Francophonie Ministers of Higher Education Conference, held in Dakar, Senegal, from November 3 to 6, with more than 40 ministers from member states in attendance.
During the event, Syrian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Marwan Al-Halabi presented Syria’s post-war plan to modernize and rebuild higher education and research. He emphasized a strategy focused on linking universities with the labor market, promoting applied research and knowledge-based economies, addressing research gaps across government ministries, and expanding international partnerships.
Key elements of Syria’s plan include competency-based curricula that connect learning with practical training, applied research in health, energy, water, agriculture, transport, and housing.The plan also calls for the establishment of technology transfer offices, Higher Education Minister said.
Al-Halabi added that the ministry aims to introduce courses in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, smart agriculture, digital transformation, and renewable energy, alongside building a fully integrated digital university with cloud-based infrastructure and unified academic records.
He also underscored Syria’s commitment to building strategic international partnerships with Francophone and global universities, joint degrees, and collaborative projects.
On the sidelines, Al-Halabi held discussions with the newly elected head of the Francophonie University Agency and ministers from Tunisia, Cambodia, and Chad, exploring institutional cooperation, academic exchanges, quality assurance, and joint research initiatives.
