A delegation of the German Jordanian University's Syrian Innovation in Academia (SyrIA) project led by Prof. Ala’aldeen Al-Halhouli, President of GJU, and comprising Prof. Ralf Rosskopf, Prof. Dhiah el Diehn I. Abou-Tair, Prof. Ala’ Khalifeh, Dr. Christine Hildebrandt, Mr. Ahmad Bayer, and Mr. Ibrahim Al Hariri, visited Damascus University, and two of the university's leading innovation and entrepreneurship centers—EVOTTECH and DIGIT—before holding a high-level dialogue with officials at the Syrian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
The visits to EVOTTECH and DIGIT provided the delegation with valuable insight into Damascus University's growing innovation ecosystem and its efforts to promote entrepreneurship, technology transfer, digital transformation, and startup development. During the visits, the delegation explored the facilities, exchanged experiences with university representatives and innovation specialists, and discussed opportunities for strengthening collaboration in innovation, entrepreneurship education, research commercialization, and capacity building. The discussions highlighted the important role of university-based innovation hubs in empowering young entrepreneurs, fostering applied research, and supporting economic recovery through knowledge-driven initiatives.
Following the field visits, the delegation met with senior officials at the Syrian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to discuss strategic priorities for the continued development of the higher education sector. The meeting focused on the evolving framework conditions for higher education in Syria, including quality assurance and accreditation standards, academic programme development requirements, mechanisms for future cooperation, and opportunities to benefit from the principles and practices of the European Bologna Process in supporting institutional modernization and international compatibility.
The participants also reviewed the outcomes of previous project meetings and agreed on the framework for implementing the SyrIA project's training and capacity-building programme during 2026. The meeting also included virtual participation by Dr. Waed Al-Shakouri, a SyrIA project member. Discussions covered the finalization of workshop topics, participant selection criteria, coaching mechanisms, and implementation arrangements to ensure that the programme effectively addresses the needs of Syrian universities while strengthening institutional capacities and promoting sustainable professional development.
The meeting concluded with a forward-looking discussion on preparations for the next phase of the SyrIA project, including the organization of the upcoming stakeholder meeting and project conference in Amman. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close cooperation between Syrian and European partners and agreed on a coordinated roadmap for future activities aimed at strengthening institutional partnerships, advancing higher education reform, and supporting innovation across Syrian universities.