Due to the conflict in Syria, more than seven million Syrians have been displaced internally and around five million have fled the country, finding refuge in neighbouring countries.
Lebanon is with approximately one million registered individuals considered the country in the world with the highest per capita ratio of refugees from Syria.
As a result of the protracted crisis and local political and economic difficulties, the higher education system in Lebanon has been heavily affected and a situation has arisen where only 6% of the Syrian youth in Lebanon between the ages of 18 and 30 are currently enrolled at Lebanese higher education institutions, a figure that stood before the crisis at 26%.
HOPES-LEB (Higher and Further Education Opportunities and Perspectives for Syrians and vulnerable youth in Lebanon) is an €8.4 million project funded by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis, the ‘EU Madad Fund’, and implemented by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) together with Campus France and Nuffic.
It aims at improving livelihood prospects through higher education opportunities for vulnerable Lebanese youth and refugees from Syria in Lebanon thus increasing their chances for a better future.
The project is a continuation of the HOPES regional project (April 2016-August 2020) and seeks to provide better access to quality further and higher education opportunities and support to higher education and local institutions in Lebanon.
The life span of the project is from April 2020 until December 2023.