In an event co-sponsored by Al-Fanar Media and Scholars at Risk, PREP hosted Dr. Talal Al Shihabi, a professor at Damascus University who has worked extensively on higher education reform in Syria for a discussion on the past, present and future of higher education in Syria. Having lived through the Syrian crisis in Damascus, Dr. Al Shihabi described his observations on its impact on public and private universities throughout Syria. In particular, Dr. Al Shihabi highlighted opportunities for collaboration between international higher education institutions with those in Syria on topics including further capacity building in fields of study that will be needed to respond to the physical and social reconstruction of Syrian society.