LSST Wembley Researcher Helps Uncover Hidden Crisis in War-Torn Syria’s Higher Education Systems
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 14 May 2025
A pioneering research study led by Dr Fuad Trayek, Lecturer in Business at LSST’s Wembley campus, has exposed the severe administrative barriers facing universities in conflict-affected northwest Syria. Published in the International Journal of Educational Research Open, the study finds that outdated, paper-based student-record systems prevent thousands of Syrian students from progressing academically and being recognised internationally.
The research, conducted in partnership with the University of South Wales and other universities operating in opposition-held territories, uses a mixed-methods approach involving over 370 student surveys and qualitative interviews with academic and administrative staff. The internationally applicable results reveal a stark truth: the continued reliance on fragile hardcopy record systems is not merely a logistical inconvenience but an educational emergency.
“This is not a minor technical issue,” said Dr Fuad Trayek at LSST Wembley. “The absence of digital academic records renders students invisible to international universities and employers. It locks them out of opportunity, mobility and recognition.”
The study outlines the multifaceted challenges preventing digital reform, including infrastructure breakdown, intermittent electricity, limited internet access and security concerns related to data storage in conflict zones. Institutions face serious resource constraints, a shortage of trained administrative staff and a lack of standardised academic protocols. Compounding these difficulties, both students and employers often favour paper records due to concerns about authenticity and digital integrity.
“The practical and psychological barriers are immense,” added Mohammad Haider, Academic Dean at LSST Wembley. “But so too is the cost of inaction.”
A humanitarian and academic imperative
“LSST researchers are taking decisive steps to address the crisis and can deploy digital expertise through capacity-building programmes and strategic partnerships aimed at empowering staff in conflict-affected academic settings. LSST can offer technical mentorship and staff training and help secure international partnerships. This is not charity – it’s solidarity,” Dr Trayek emphasised.
The study also issues a call to action for governments and academic bodies. It recommends the expansion of scholarship and academic mobility programmes. The researchers also call for more flexible and humane visa processes and recognition of prior learning – even when documentation is incomplete or missing due to conflict.
“We must rapidly move toward inclusive evaluation systems that understand the unique constraints of conflict-affected learners,” added Dr Trayek.
To read the full paper on Science Direct visit: Evaluating the effectiveness of student-record systems in conflict-affected universities in northwest Syria relative to student transition and mobility – ScienceDirect
For more information about this article or to interview Dr Trayek please contact the author, Kunal Chan Mehta, via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.
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