In January 2021, the HOPES-LEB project, implemented by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Campus France and Nuffic and in cooperation with EDU-SYRIA project led by the German Jordanian University, both funded by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis, the ‘EU Madad Fund’ organised the first Regional Stakeholder Meeting.

This gathering brought together more than 36 representatives from the EU Delegations in the region, Ministries of Education and Higher Education, higher education institutions, alumni representatives,  organisations and key stakeholders involved in the tertiary education sector related to the Syria crisis to discuss the current needs and priorities of alumni students of higher education projects and the establishment of a unified regional alumni network of scholarship holders in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

The sessions included the presentation of the results of the Needs Assessment Survey conducted in 2020 with former and current scholarships holders of the higher education projects funded by the EU Madad Fund as well as the planned Regional Alumni Network of scholarship holders in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

Furthermore, representatives of the alumni from HOPES-LEB, EDU-SYRIA and SPARK shared with the participants their opinion about the benefit and importance of the creation of such a network. Presentations were followed by a discussion on recommendations to improve the implementation of activities, the identification of priorities and possible activities and exploring how institutions can contribute on a regional level.

Check the Regional Stakeholder Meeting report below.