Damascus, June 24 (SANA) Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Marwan al-Halabi, met Wednesday with Syria’s chargé d’affaires in Türkiye, Fadi al-Qassem, to discuss cooperation regarding Turkish universities operating in Syria and the preparation of new agreements between the two countries.
The meeting, attended by Abdulaziz al-Khalaf from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, focused on completing the Turkish universities’ file before the upcoming academic year, particularly Gaziantep University and the Health Sciences University in al-Rai, which have played a significant role in northern Syria.
Minister al-Halabi affirmed the ministry’s efforts after liberation to find solutions for students and administrative staff of these universities, noting the formation of a five-member committee that met with students and professors to hear their perspectives.
He explained that a memorandum has been submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study the possibility of merging faculties of these universities with Aleppo University, in response to student demands. He also pointed to the potential role of the embassy in communicating with Türkiye’s Higher Education Council to reach a final solution acceptable to both sides.
The minister highlighted opportunities for cooperation in cultural exchange, scholarships, and the establishment of a joint Syrian-Turkish university, as well as drafting a new memorandum of understanding with Türkiye following the expiration of previous agreements.
For his part, al-Qassem stressed the embassy’s readiness to cooperate in preparing joint agreements, accelerating procedures, and benefiting from Türkiye’s experience in higher education.
MHD
