The International University for Science and Technology participates in the Syrian Academic Summit “Ambassador”

The International University for Science and Technology participated in the Syrian Academic Summit – Syrian Academic Forum for Creativity, Education, Research, and Reform (Safir) 2025, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The summit drew broad participation from researchers, academics, students, and civil society representatives from inside and outside Syria.
The university was represented at the summit by Dr. Hayyan al-Sabai, Head of the Department of Computer and Information Engineering, who participated in the Scientific Research and Innovation section of a session titled “Addressing Obstacles: Building Bridges Towards Productive Research and Innovation.”
During his intervention, Dr. al-Sabai addressed the most prominent challenges facing scientific research, including: difficulties in academic supervision due to the lack of full-time supervisors; financial and living challenges for professors; and the absence of a national strategy that defines research priorities, which sometimes makes the selection of research topics far from practical reality. He also highlighted the obstacles associated with collaborative supervision and the scarcity of interdisciplinary research, reviewing successful experiences from Malaysia and Japan, with a focus on the Malaysian experience in stimulating and providing diverse funding for scientific research. The university’s participation comes within the framework of its strategy aimed at strengthening its presence in the national academic landscape and actively contributing to the development of scientific research and innovation in line with the requirements of sustainable development. The summit, held at Damascus University and continuing until tomorrow, constitutes an unprecedented platform for developing a practical roadmap for higher education reform in Syria. It will feature discussion sessions and interactive workshops with the participation of more than 400 academics from within and outside Syria. The aim is to develop actionable recommendations and submit them to the Ministry of Higher Education. The forum’s proceedings will be published in peer-reviewed academic publications to serve as a reference for any future reform plans.