PASADENA, Calif., Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the overthrow of the Assad regime, thousands of Syrian refugees are planning to return to their homes to help rebuild their country with the knowledge gained from their studies at University of the People, a tuition-free, American online university. Currently, more than 20,000 Syrians are studying with UoPeople, which has been providing "educational lifelines" to the Syrian people since the civil war broke out in 2011.

"In the past few weeks, we have been receiving emails daily from many of our Syrian students reporting that they are returning to the homes to use the education they received from the university to rebuild their country," said UoPeople President Shai Reshef. "By providing educational opportunities to the Syrian people, we are not only restoring hope but empowering individuals to shape a brighter future for themselves, their families, their country, and by extension the world. This is the realization of our mission."

The university has been equipping Syrian refugees with the knowledge and skills needed to rebuild not just their lives but their war-torn homeland. Through UoPeople's innovative "university in a box" online model—which enables refugees to carry their education with them wherever they move—students like Moaed Shaban are transforming despair into action.

"When the war broke out, I was surrounded by death and destruction everywhere I looked, forcing me to flee Syria," shared Shaban. "However, I always dreamed of returning to my homeland to help rebuild it when the fighting ended. Studying with UoPeople gave me hope for a better future. Now my dream has come true. I can finally come back and help rebuild my country with the education I received."

UoPeople's flexible and affordable online model eliminates barriers to higher education, even for those in refugee camps or conflict zones. The university is not only offering educational opportunities but also nurturing the future architects of Syria's recovery. These students will become the computer scientists, educators, health professionals, and business leaders who will rebuild their nation.

UoPeople currently serves 153,000 students from 209 countries and territories, including 19,000 refugees—more than any other university in the world. The university's mission demonstrates the transformative power of education, proving that even in the face of adversity, hope and resilience can pave the way to a brighter future.

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SOURCE UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE