University admissions process in Syria 2025–2026

First, an introduction:

The higher education sector represents one of the fundamental pillars in the process of rebuilding the Syrian state, particularly during the transitional phase the country has been undergoing since 2024. Universities are not only concerned with training personnel, but also play a pivotal role in restoring human capital damaged by war, displacement, and economic collapse. The literature indicates that education in conflict zones is among the most fragile sectors and requires multifaceted interventions to ensure its recovery (UNESCO, 2023).

In this context, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the results of the general admissions process and the subsequent selection process for filling vacant positions for the 2025–2026 academic year in November 2025, a move that sparked widespread debate about the seriousness of the reforms and their ability to achieve educational equity.

This paper aims to analyze these measures as part of a broader reform process, linking them to the framework of transitional justice in post-conflict countries, and to determine whether the current trade-off represents only a technical fix, or a step towards rebuilding trust between the state and society.

Second, Methodology:

This paper employs a mixed methodology that includes:

1. Analysis of data published by the Ministry of Higher Education (2025).
2. A review of international literature on education in post-conflict countries, particularly UNESCO reports (2023).
3. An analysis of a sample of digital interactions on the X platform during the period November 12–15, 2025, to extrapolate public opinion trends.
4. A reference to specialized reports on the impact of conflict on Syrian education, including the report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR, 2017).
5. A reliance on the theoretical framework of transitional justice as developed by Teitel (2000).

This methodology aims to provide a balanced analytical reading, while acknowledging gaps in official data due to the exceptional circumstances.

Third, a brief historical overview of the university admissions system in Syria:

Until 2011, Syria adopted a “centralized selection” model based on high school graduation averages. Despite the limited capacity of universities, the system was relatively stable, with enrollment rates reaching nearly two-thirds of high school graduates.

However, the years of war led to a comprehensive deterioration of the sector.

According to the Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR), education suffered severe blows, including the destruction of infrastructure, a decline in the quality of education, the interruption of studies for millions of students, and the loss of a significant number of faculty members (SCPR, 2017).

With a relative improvement in conditions in 2015 and the return of a segment of students and staff after liberation and the fall of the former regime, universities faced increasing pressure on their admissions. This prompted the Ministry to announce a competitive selection process to fill vacant places after the general admissions process, in an attempt to increase capacity.

Fourth, Evaluation of the 2025–2026 University Admissions Process:

• Positive Aspects:
  Digital Transformation: Adopting online applications is a crucial step in reducing administrative corruption and facilitating access.Expanding Eligible Categories: Accepting both recent and older degrees, and opening admission to students with disabilities and certain professional specializations.Flexible and Rapid Response: Issuing the vacancy ranking immediately after the results are announced.
• Ongoing Challenges:
  Limited Capacity: Vacancies are concentrated in less in-demand specializations, while medical and engineering colleges remain the most overcrowded.Uneven Equity Between Governorates: Affected areas, particularly the eastern and northern regions, suffer from significant deficiencies in school infrastructure, reducing their students’ competitive opportunities (SCPR, 2017).Lack of a University Advising System: This is reflected in a high error rate when filling out application forms.Weak Official Communication: The spread of rumors about the impact of older degrees on the opportunities of 2025 graduates indicates a lack of clear and explanatory messages directed to the public.

Fifth, an analysis of public opinion trends:

An analysis of social media interactions from November 12-15, 2025, revealed three trends:

1. A supportive trend:
   This trend focuses on the positive aspects related to expanding opportunities and digital transformation.
2. A critical trend:
   This trend believes that raising minimum requirements and the disparity in study conditions between regions undermine the principle of equal opportunities. This observation aligns with what international studies indicate regarding the fragility of education in affected environments (UNESCO, 2023).
3. A neutral/inquiry trend:
   This trend is represented by requests for information on application requirements and online links.
   This distribution suggests that the information gap has a greater impact than the political issues themselves.

Sixth, Political-Educational Analysis (The Placement of the Trade-Off within the Framework of Transitional Justice):

Teitel, in her theoretical framework of transitional justice, asserts that post-conflict states need a combination of distributive justice (equal opportunities) and restorative justice (compensation for victims) to achieve a stable transition (Teitel, 2000).

Considering the Syrian context, the current trade-off leans towards traditional distributive justice, but remains limited in its response to restorative justice, despite the latter’s importance in building trust between the state and society and in addressing the war’s impact on students.

Seventh, Policy Recommendations for Decision-Makers:

1. Launch a national program for higher education reform with the participation of academics and civil society to develop a new legislative framework for university admissions.
2. Adopt an affirmative action quota system that allocates a percentage of university places to affected areas and internally displaced persons, based on evidence documenting the extent of disparities in opportunities (SCPR, 2017).
3. Expanding university capacity through a five-year plan that includes rehabilitating damaged universities and promoting technical education and linking it to reconstruction programs.
4. Strengthening university guidance through schools and ministry platforms to reduce errors in application submissions.
5. Linking admissions policy to national development priorities such as technology, energy, reconstruction, and public health—sectors needed by countries emerging from war (UNESCO, 2023).

VIII. Conclusion:

The 2025–2026 university admissions process reflects a reality where technical, social, and political considerations intersect. Despite the positive steps taken, it requires a broader reform framework linked to transitional justice and the requirements of state reconstruction.

Reforming the admissions system is essential for restoring the social contract, reintegrating a generation affected by conflict, and building trust in state institutions during the transitional phase.

References:

• The Syrian Center for Policy Research. (2017). The Impact of the Conflict in Syria on Education. The Syrian Center for Policy Research.
• UNESCO. (2023). Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crises: Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities. UNESCO Publishing.
• Teitel, Ruti G. (2000). Transitional Justice. Oxford University Press.
• Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. (2025). General Admission Data and Vacancie Filling (Official Statements).
• Monitoring and Analysis of X Platform Publications Related to the 2025–2026 Admission Process During the Period November 12–15, 2025.