The "Delivering Higher Education to Syrian Refugees" Workshop: A Rare Moment of Guarded Optimism

The conflict in Syria has become the 21st century’s worst humanitarian crisis. The numbers are staggering: Over 300,000 killed, close to 4.5 million refugees, more than 9 million internally displaced peoples. James King, Assistant Director of IIE’s Scholar Rescue Fund talks about the impact of the current crisis on Syria’s higher education system and his participation in a recent workshop in Istanbul, Turkey on the topic of "Delivering Higher Education to Syrian Refugees." The workshop, organized by Al-Fanar Media in partnership with IIE and the Dutch NGO SPARK, brought together stakeholders from regional and international governments, UN bodies, local and international NGOs, universities, and Syrian students and professors, to share best practices and enhance coordination.