Al-Assad inaugurates first Arab virtual university
Syria, Education, 9/3/2002

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Monday at the building of the Syrian ministry of Higher Education opened the "Syrian Virtual University," which is the first university of its kind in the Arab states, based on electronic education.

The inauguration hall was crowded by scores of invitees including high number of Lebanese officials, academics and press members.

President al-Assad inspected the various departments and listened together with the invitees to direct explanations about this new educational system.

The ceremony held for that purpose ended with two speeches. The first was by the project's executive director Milad al-Sabaali who explained this achievement and its dimensions.

The second speech was made by the Syrian minister of higher education Hassan Reshe who focused on the indirect outcome of this vital project, mainly expanding internet users, breaking the barrier of a foreign language.

The project's executive director Milaad al-Sabaali considered that one important thing that characterizes the new education in the Arab states is that it avails before the student to be involved, via the internet, in a very wide spectrum of advanced study specialization offered by best universities in the world without the need of travelling. This system, he added also avails the opportunity of working and studying simultaneously.

The chairman of the university Riad al-Dawoudi said that the team which supervises the university held initial agreements with European, American and Canadian universities and also several initial agreements with the French government's establishment which supervises electronic education in France; with the Frankophonic university establishment which includes 400 universities teach in the French Language. He added that the "the virtual university" is at the meantime discussing with British, German and Russian universities and this to be followed by the university's preparation of its own curricula. The University's website on the internet avails the possibility of direct registration, payment and immediate follow up of the study. According to the university sources, so far more than 100 students have been registered.

This project which was established by a joint Syrian- Lebanese team is the first of its kind in the Arab world. It strongly reflects the policy pursued by Syria in the educational field regarding the increase of opportunities for the Syrians to learn on the one hand, and increase the state revenues from education, on the other.

However, the Syrian Virtual University is a fruit of Syrian- Lebanese cooperation and represents an example to be followed of bilaterally beneficial relations for the two states.

Previous Stories:
  Damascus hosts a seminar on e-class concept learning   (3/11/2002)
  A Presidential decree to establish private universities in Syria   (8/18/2001)
  Damascus workshop on improving science teaching using locally resources   (2/22/2001)

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