Syria’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research began formal implementation steps on Wednesday, October 21, to complete the integration of faculties and students affiliated with Gaziantep University and Turkey’s University of Health Sciences in northern Syria into the Syrian higher education system.

Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Marwan al-Halabi said in a post on his personal Facebook page on Wednesday that the ministry had formed specialized committees, which immediately began work on the final arrangements for the institutional transition. He said the complete and final implementing instructions governing the integration would be issued next week to ensure continuity in education and protect the rights of students, teaching staff and administrators.

University and Ministry Committees Oversee Integration

Implementation is proceeding through two main committees, both of which began meeting on Wednesday:

• University of Aleppo committee: Chaired by university president Muhammad Osama Raadoun it oversees the completion of procedures to integrate the faculties previously affiliated with Gaziantep University, including buildings, university facilities, teaching and administrative staff, students and all academic records.
• Ministerial committee in Damascus: Formed at the Ministry of Higher Education’s headquarters, it follows up on the integration of students at the University of Health Sciences branch in al-Rai (Aleppo governorate, northern Syria) and organizes their transfer to Syrian universities.

Al-Halabi said this work followed a series of earlier meetings, most recently a Higher Education Council meeting held the previous Sunday to prepare for implementation.

Through these measures, the ministry aims to address all academic, legal and administrative aspects of the transition, resolve the matter definitively and move toward a new, stable phase of operations.

On October 15: signing date]**, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkey’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK) at Gaziantep University’s headquarters in Turkey. The memorandum covers cooperation in higher education and scientific research, as well as arrangements for the future of educational institutions operating in northern Syria.

What Does the Memorandum Cover?

According to the memorandum’s provisions, which al-Halabi published on his Facebook page at the time, the two sides agreed on several arrangements concerning the future of educational institutions operating in northern Syria. These include continuing educational activities at the Faculty of Education in Afrin (Aleppo governorate, northwestern Syria), the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Azaz (northern Aleppo governorate), the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences in al-Bab (northeastern Aleppo governorate), and the vocational institutes in Jarablus (eastern Aleppo governorate). All are affiliated with Gaziantep University and will operate under the University of Aleppo.

Under the memorandum, students at the Faculty of Medicine and the Vocational School of Health Services in al-Rai, both affiliated with Turkey’s University of Health Sciences, will continue their studies at the same institutions within Syria’s higher education system or at equivalent institutions. This is intended to ensure continuity in their education without interruption or academic disadvantage.

The memorandum also identifies the rights of students and graduates as a central priority in implementing these arrangements. The necessary legal regulations for granting graduates degree equivalency have been completed. The two sides also agreed that the primary school and mathematics teacher training programs in Afrin would continue in their current form, along with all 11 educational programs in Jarablus.

Academic and administrative staff working at these institutions will continue in their roles under Syria’s applicable laws and regulations, in accordance with the legislation governing the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and in a manner that maintains continuity and regularity in education.

Establishing the Syrian-Turkish International University

During the meeting, the Syrian and Turkish sides also discussed future cooperation, including plans to establish the Syrian-Turkish International University in Damascus as a “joint academic project.” They considered how to complete the necessary studies and arrangements for its establishment, including forming a Turkish working group to visit Damascus and meet Syrian counterparts to finalize the founding agreement ahead of the project’s launch.

On August 8, al-Halabi announced the formation of a joint Syrian-Turkish committee to address the status of universities in northern Syria and resolve the matter before the start of the coming academic year. The aim was to protect students’ rights and organize education in accordance with approved legal and academic frameworks.

Recognition of Degrees From Turkish Universities in Northern Syria

On June 14, the Higher Education and Scientific Research Council decided to recognize and authenticate university degrees awarded to graduates of Turkish university branches operating in northern Syria.

The decision covered all Turkish university branches in the area, particularly those of Gaziantep University and the University of Health Sciences in al-Rai.

Under the instructions issued at the time, the University of Aleppo was tasked with directly completing degree equivalency and authentication procedures, without requiring graduates to visit the ministry’s headquarters. This was intended to resolve outstanding academic cases and simplify legal procedures for graduates.

Turkey established several branches of Turkish universities in northern Syria in recent years.

In 2021, a Turkish presidential decree authorized the opening of a faculty of medicine and a higher institute for health services in al-Rai, northeast of Aleppo city.

In 2019, Turkey opened branches of Gaziantep University, including the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences in al-Bab, the Faculty of Education in Afrin and the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Azaz. Higher vocational institutes were also opened in Jarablus, in eastern Aleppo governorate.