Page 159 - Syrians in Türkiye - Special Report

GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TÜRKİYE THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

lead their lives in better conditions in business life and contribute to economic
and social integration.

◊ Enabling Qualified Syrians Stay in Türkiye

The proportion of Syrians in Türkiye who have vocational training and who have
graduated from higher education seems extremely low. Within the scope of the
information received from the Ministry of Development’s 2016 report, 33.3% of
Syrians are illiterate and 5.6% have a high school education or higher. Because many
of the Syrians who have come to Türkiye are from Northern Syria, a traditionally
disadvantaged area, and the majority of educated Syrians went from Türkiye to Europe
in 2015, the level of education of the Syrians in Türkiye is much lower than in other
countries. Thus, it is necessary to develop incentive policies in order to ensure that
the educated and professional Syrians in Türkiye continue to stay in Türkiye. This is
important not only for the acquisition of educated refugees as a value for the Turkish
economy, but also for integration policies; the very small number of educated Syrians in
our country is particularly valuable as bridges for integration politics and channels for
dialogue; it is therefore essential that measures to ensure these persons stay in Türkiye
are based primarily on willingness and incentives.

Syrian academics who worked in universities in Syria before April 2011 and then
came to Türkiye have a special place among the educated Syrians. In this regard, studies
conducted under the leadership of Hacettepe University’s Center for Migration and
Political Research were evaluated by the Prime Ministry and Higher Education
Council, a portal was established for Syrian academics and employment, and a
commission consisting of Turkish and Syrian academics was established. The total
number of Syrian academics working in Türkiye during the period of 2016-2017 is 334,
and most of them are working in the theology faculties or teaching the Arabic language.
There are 14 professors, 14 associate professors, and 93 assistant professors among the
Syrian academics in Turkish universities. Apart from these, most of the Syrians who
are teaching assistants, research assistants, lecturers, and specialist staff do not have a
title of PhD. Although the numbers are very small, it is clear that academics will play
a crucial role in the integration process. It is estimated that the number of Syrians who
worked in universities in Syria before 2011 but who cannot find a job in Türkiye or who
are working in a job other than his or her profession is about 300.

Special measures and incentive mechanisms need to be developed for this group. The
universities and the Yunus Emre Institute should work harder to give academics free
intensive language courses in fields where language barriers play an extremely important

SYRIANS IN TÜRKİYE SPECIAL REPORT 159