The ongoing crisis in Syria has created an academic emergency, with the break-down of higher education producing a dangerous and often impossible environment for continued learning. As students from Syria have reported attacks on universities, destruction of classrooms, and shelling in university neighborhoods, there is an urgent need to provide emergency assistance to these students enabling them to continue their academic work in a safe setting.

In response to the continuing emergency in Syria, the IIE Syria Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis in collaboration with Jusoor, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and the U.S. State Department’s EducationUSA-Syria advising office have spearheaded a mission to engage universities worldwide in an effort to assist threated Syrian students through committed scholarship funds. 

Thanks to the generous participation of 13 U.S. universities, the program saw great success in its first year, providing $2.3 million in scholarships to near 70 Syrian students. Now, in its second year, the Institute is seeking new and continued support for students wishing to carry on their education and academic work in 2014. 

All Consortium members will be eligible to apply for top-up grants of $5,000–$10,000 to further assist their sponsored students. IIE, in its commitment to a successful and mutually beneficial process, will also provide basic pre-screening of Syrian student candidates as well as ongoing support and assistance. 

Please email any questions to SyriaSupport@iie.org.