Rojava University in Qamishli a desired destination for some and an aversion for others

Rojava University, opened in 2016, achieved what many dreamed of, where it is the first university in Qamishli city.

The university began its first years with teaching Kurdish literature, which was banned as a language and a culture for decades in Syria.

The University was able to attract /252/ students in the first year, then they increased to 720 students in the academic year of 2018-2017.

The total number of students of 2018-2019 reached 831, including 272 female students and 150 Instructors and lecturers.

The university has seven faculties: Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Fine Arts, Kurdish Literature, Women’s Science “Jineoloji” , Petroleum Engineering, Petrochemical Engineering and Educational Sciences, and includes seven departments: (History – Geography – Classroom Teacher – Mathematics – Physics – Chemistry – Natural Sciences), in addition to the Administrative and Financial Institute.

All the departments are located in Qamishli city, except for the Petrochemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering faculties which are located in Rumailan city.

Decisions concerning the university and students are made collectively through the Management Board, the University Council, the Student Council and the Women’s Council. Students are subject to evaluation system as an alternative to a written exam that is determined at the end of each semester.

The university relies on both Arabic and Kurdish languages as administrative languages in the decisions and generalizations with primacy to the Arabic language in many details.

The curriculum is purely Kurdish in the Kurdish Literature Department and Arabic for the rest of the faculties. The university depends on the system of lectures and takes advantages of different books and university curricula.

As for Jineoloji faculty, the university administrators say that it is the first faculty that holds this name worldwide.

“Jineoloji is a new science and we will work on to develop a suitable curriculum in the future, now we are drawing lectures from several sources, and the curriculum will be based on multiple sources as well.” Laila Ahmi, an administrator at the Jineoloji faculty clarified to North Press.

The University teaches three semesters each year, so that two-year study in the university is equivalent of four years.

However, this would be adjusted to become a two-semester a year system by the academic year 2019-2020.

Mohammed Salim Hassan, co-chair of the Faculty of Educational Sciences said to North Press that at first the education system in Rojava University was two years, divided into six semesters.

Yet, after holding their conference, a new system was agreed upon which the curriculum be taught in four years, each year divided into two semesters.

The University has a housing unit for students from other cities.

Furthermore, preparatory stage for postgraduate studies opened in 2018, the very first batches of Kurdish literature were graduated, the stage of which precedes the master’s and doctorate degrees.

The University of Rojava faces a set of difficulties and obstacles, of which the most important is being unrecognized in any other country or university, whether inside or outside Syria.

In addition to the lack of the degree holders’ staff, especially doctoral degrees, beside its need for the university requirements, for instance, laboratory materials and specialized curricula for the university.

Rohan Mustafa, co-chair of Rojava University told North Press that although we can be provide with staff to some extent, yet the hard part is to provide specialist instructors and lecturers. Mustafa attributes this lack to war and migration of the academics outside the country.

The top obstacle is the recognition of the university as an academic institution. Although Rohan Mustafa asserts that they need self-recognition to overcome the obstacles, and forget about the issue of recognition, she says:

“We need recognitions; otherwise we will lie to ourselves. A university that can’t establish relationships with other universities cannot develop itself,” clarifying  that the main reason for this obstacle is the political recognition of Self-Administration as a whole.

The university has tried to hold memorandums of understanding with other universities, yet it has not succeeded so far.

Moreover, there are attempts for organizing exchange visits with universities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and European universities of which they have communications with, yet, nothing looms ahead, especially on the official level.

Choosing to study at the new university is a venture for many students, while it is an opportunity for others who cannot find a better alternative choice in other universities.

There are two universities in Al-Jazira region (Al-Hasaka governorate) one is public, which is the second University of Al-Furat that affiliated to the Higher Education Ministry of the Syrian government, and the second one is the Private University of Cordoba, that based on an expensive fee system.

Whereas, other students see that their dreams came true to study in a Kurdish University; Midya Zidan of Al-Malikiyah / Derik told North Press “I was qualified to study at the Faculty of Commerce and Economics at Al-Hasaka Universities, but I rather studying at a Kurdish university.” 

Nevertheless, the choice is due to other reasons, too. 

For example, there are some students who cannot study at other universities whether that at Al-Hasaka or the private university in Qamishli, or even at the universities of the Syrian government in other governorates.

This is linked to the instability and security situation in Syria in general, as well as the high costs of travel and residence in other governorates even at Al-Hasaka governorate, which requires additional expenses.

Norman Fasih Hasso, a student from Amuda at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Rojava University, told North Press:

“I was registered in the Faculty of Fine Arts because it was my wish, and because it is close to my city.” Although her grades qualified her to study at law faculty at Tishreen University in Lattakia, but it is quite far from her city.

Yet, bearing additional costs for completing studies at other universities remains the preferable choice for some other students who consider the issue of university recognition an essential one for them.

Shivan Ibrahim, a writer and master degree holder of political philosophy, told North Press: “Some students pay more than /3/ thousand dollars between fees and expenses ,and register at Kurdistan or Euphrates universities while they can register at a university only few steps away from their home.” The most prominent reason, according to Ibrahim, is due to the recognition issue of the university.

In addition to evaluation system as an alternative to the exam, gives instructors and lecturers greater authority over students, where the student’s assessment is subjected to the opinion of the teaching staff, without a final exam that reduces this opinion.

Lauand Yousef, one of the students who studied at the Faculty of Technical Engineering in Aleppo who was not able to complete his study because of the security situation on one hand, on the other hand because the absence of an alternative to his faculty in other governorates.

When Rojava University opened, he registered in the Kurdish Literature Department in the first batch, he studied for two years, a semester before finishing his studies, he left the department.

He says: “The teachers’ treatment was sometimes on a personal basis; therefore, this was influential in awarding grades.”

Lauand believes that one of the disadvantages of the university was in achieving a high rate of attendance, which was obligatory; “even if you have achieved a high degree in a subject but you were absent some days, you will not be able to pass; and this is a disastrous not only a matter of obstacle.” he explained.

For her part, Zozan Berko, a graduate of the first batch of Rojava University in the Kurdish Literature Department, sees that she was treated unjustly because she was not accepted to complete postgraduate studies although she was chosen as one of the top ten in her department. 

She told North Press: “The top ten are chosen in all universities to complete the postgraduate studies, while in Rojava university evidences say otherwise”. 

Prior to 2011, the percentage of university students from Al-Hasaka governorate was high, and estimated at thousands.

With the opening of a branch for Al-Furat University in Al-Hasaka city, thousands of students have enrolled. Although it lacked to a strong infrastructure, the turnout rate was high.

Because of the security conditions and the conflict in Syria, many have had to leave university, but the number of students at Rojava University indicates that only few students chose it.

Rojava University offers free study with no age requirements for students to be admitted, however,  the number of students who chose it as an alternative or as an option after finishing high school, is still very little.

The unrecognition of Rojava University neither from any governmental, international nor regional university is one of the main reasons for students  to choose  Al-Furat University or Cordoba Private University ,or sit at home.

“In addition to the issue of non-recognition of the university, there is also a lack in teaching staff in every field,” Lauand Yousef said giving an example of the institution degree holders who are unqualified to teach at universities, yet,  they lecture at the university.

Shivan Ibrahim on his part criticizes the university that it only holds its name, saying:

“Simply, having a structure without having  a content is very problematic, because this university lacks the teaching staff, where it is not logical to have a person who holds a degree lower than Master degree and positioned to teaches.”

Ibrahim adds that, “as a condition for opening any academic department, at least it should have two PhDs and three Master degree holders to be an official branch, but what we have in Rojava University is otherwise.”

Shivan Ibrahim believes that there is a number of doctoral and master degree holders who abstained to teach at the University of Rojava for many reasons, which he attributes to the university system which has an ideological character, assuring that (it is clear and does not need explaining).

Many students at Rojava University see several shortfalls that make the university far from the academic domain, whereas the administrators see it as a huge forward step, and they are betting on time to prove the opposite of the pessimists and critics expectations.