EDU-SYRIA is a humanitarian education programme established in 2015 in response to the severe disruption to education and livelihoods caused by the Syrian crisis.
Funded by the European Union and managed by the German Jordanian University (GJU), it operates through a consortium of international and local partners, including the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA), and a network of public and private academic institutions such as Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Yarmouk University(YU), Mutah University(MU), Zarqa University(ZU), Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) , AlHussein Technical University (HTU) and Luminus Technical University College(LTUC).
The programme also supports the No Lost Generation initiative (NLG), a joint effort with UN agencies (such as UNICEF and UNHCR), NGOs, international donors, and host governments aim at providing those affected by the conflict with the chance to shape a more stable, sustainable, and secure future.
Over the past decade, EDU-SYRIA has evolved through successive phases, from EDU-SYRIA I in 2015 through EDU-SYRIA III in 2020, growing from a scholarship-focused intervention into a comprehensive education, skills, and livelihoods platform. EDU-SYRIA IV followed as the next phase, continuing to sharpen the programme's focus on employability and labour-market alignment, welcoming Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) as a new academic partner, and formalising a partnership with UNHCR to align scholarship outreach with UNHCR's DAFI initiative.
Looking ahead, EDU-SYRIA V is now in development as the next proposed phase. Anchored in the EU-Jordan Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, it builds on the same integrated model of higher education, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and teacher development, while introducing new components focused on beneficiary wellbeing and on preparing the ground for responsible future academic cooperation with Syria. The proposed phase is designed around the idea of "portable" skills and qualifications, equipping beneficiaries to build their futures whether they remain in Jordan or eventually choose to return to Syria.
Today, EDU-SYRIA combines accredited higher education and vocational training with labour-market preparation, teacher development, entrepreneurship support, bottleneck alleviation, psychosocial support, and employability pathways.
The programme works closely with UNHCR to identify eligible Syrian refugees, and partners with Jordanian humanitarian organizations, including the National Aid Fund, Tkiyet Um Ali, Al-Aman Fund, and the Zakat Fund, to reach economically disadvantaged beneficiaries across Jordan.
A decade of implementation has built three core strengths: the ability to identify, enrol, and support large numbers of vulnerable beneficiaries across institutions and qualification levels; a trusted network of partners spanning universities, vocational institutions, government bodies, employers, and humanitarian organizations; and a proven capacity to adapt programming based on evidence and evolving needs. These results demonstrate that EDU-SYRIA is not a new intervention requiring extensive start-up arrangements, but an established programme with operational systems, institutional memory, trusted partnerships, and beneficiary confidence.
EDU-SYRIA Partners
EDU-SYRIA GJU Team
