For Security Considerations.. Russia Temporarily Suspends Acceptance of New Syrian Students
The Russian decision to suspend admission of Syrian students reflects deep challenges in bilateral relations that have long been considered strategic between Moscow and Damascus for many decades
April 17, 2025, 8:15 pm

For Security Considerations.. Russia Temporarily Suspends Acceptance of New Syrian Students

موسكو \ تعبيرية

Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation Pavel Shevtsov announced that his country has temporarily stopped accepting Syrian students in Russian higher education institutions due to the internal situations in Syria.

This decision reflects the implications of recent political changes on educational and cultural relations between the two countries after decades of continuous cooperation in this field.

Shevtsov explained in his interview with the Russian agency "Novosti": "We are actively working within the Russian government quota for student education. Unfortunately, this year there will be no students from Syria, but there are Syrian students completing one educational stage and moving to another. We are actively working with these students and will provide them with (seats within) the government quota."

These statements show the Russian side's keenness to distinguish between suspending the acceptance of new students and continuing to support those currently in Russian educational institutions.

The Russian official pointed to the connection of this suspension with the political landscape in Syria as well as multiple technical obstacles, including the problem of unavailability of travel documents for Syrian citizens, adding: "We were ready to provide support from our side, but the general political situation and the disruption of most state institutions led us to make the decision to stop for this year at least."

These details highlight the logistical challenges facing educational exchange programs amid unstable conditions and disruption of institutional working mechanisms in the country.

Shevtsov also confirmed the continued closure of the "Russian House" headquarters in the Syrian capital for security reasons, noting that the Russian Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) continues to communicate with its Syrian partners.

The continued closure of Russian cultural institutions in Damascus indicates real security concerns despite attempts to maintain diplomatic and cultural communication channels.

It is worth noting that the head of the agency, Yevgeny Primakov, had announced in January the closure of the "Russian House" in Damascus, explaining that the Russian diplomatic mission is working to maintain the Russian presence in the country.

These developments reflect a shift in the nature of the Russian cultural and educational presence in Syria compared to previous years, which witnessed a notable expansion in exchange and cooperation programs.

It should be noted that December 8, 2024, witnessed the entry of Syrian armed opposition forces into the capital Damascus, coinciding with Bashar al-Assad's departure from office and leaving the country, while on January 29, Ahmad al-Shara was appointed as the country's president during the transitional phase.

This timeline of accelerating political events shows the background on which Moscow built its decision to suspend the acceptance of Syrian students, amid the profound transformations in Syria's political and administrative structure.

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