Recognition of Degrees and Professional Experience Acquired Abroad by Syrians: Impacts and Challenges Threatening Human Capital
Executive Summary:
This paper examines the issue of recognizing academic qualifications and professional experience acquired by Syrians abroad during years of displacement and refuge, as well as its social and economic implications. This issue has gained increasing importance in the current phase, as Syria seeks to rebuild its institutions and leverage its available human capital—particularly following the large-scale migration of Syrian students and professionals since 2011 to various countries. Many pursued higher education in foreign universities or gained professional experience in diverse labor markets. As part of this human capital begins to return, or seeks integration into Syrian state institutions and labor markets, significant challenges have emerged regarding the recognition of foreign-acquired qualifications and experience.
The Syrian system for credential recognition is based on a set of outdated laws that have not undergone meaningful reform or modernization. It relies heavily on strict formal equivalence between foreign degrees and their local counterparts, including the duration of study, the nature of academic programs, and admission requirements. While these policies aim to preserve the quality of higher education, they have become increasingly misaligned with the new realities shaped during years of conflict. Educational pathways among Syrians abroad have diversified, and the systems in which they studied vary widely. Moreover, administrative procedures related to document verification have become more complex, particularly due to difficulties in accessing original documents and differences in certification mechanisms across countries.
This paper seeks to analyze the problem by identifying the key challenges hindering recognition of foreign-acquired qualifications, including bureaucratic complexities, the absence of standardized criteria for evaluating foreign academic programs, and weak mechanisms for recognizing professional experience gained outside formal education systems. It also reviews a range of international tools and practices developed to address credential recognition, such as international recognition agreements, networks of national credential evaluation centers, systems for recognizing prior learning and professional experience, and stakeholder motivation analysis.
Based on this analysis, the paper proposes four policy options to address the issue in the Syrian context. The first option involves maintaining the current system with minor procedural adjustments; while this is the easiest approach, its impact is limited and does not address structural deficiencies. The second option entails comprehensive reform and modernization of the existing recognition system by shifting from strict formal equivalence toward evaluating learning outcomes and competencies, simplifying documentation procedures, and recognizing digital credentials issued by foreign universities. This option is considered the most realistic in the short term, as it builds on existing institutions rather than creating new ones. The third option proposes the establishment of an independent national recognition center, similar to those in other countries, responsible for evaluating foreign degrees and developing unified standards for recognition; this is more suitable in the medium term. The fourth option suggests adopting a competency-based assessment system focused on individuals’ skills and practical experience rather than relying exclusively on academic degrees; however, its implementation requires the development of specialized institutional infrastructure and clear assessment standards.
The paper concludes that the second option is the most feasible in the current phase—namely, reforming and modernizing the existing system—while gradually incorporating elements of the third and fourth options in the medium term. It further recommends adopting a phased reform approach, beginning with improving current procedures and enhancing transparency, and gradually evolving toward the establishment of a comprehensive national system for recognizing academic qualifications and professional experience. Such a system would enable the effective utilization of Syrian human capital both domestically and abroad, and contribute to rebuilding state institutions and the national economy.
مديرة الوحدة المجتعية في مركز الحوار السوري، بكالوريوس في الهندسة المدنية من جامعة دمشق، ماجستير في حماية اللاجئين والهجرة القسرية من جامعة لندن، باحثة مهتمة في قضايا المرأة والهجرة والمجتمع المدني
