University of Al-Sharq

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Not long ago, the city of Raqqa was the capital of the so called caliphate of Da'esh (ISIS) where death and darkness had dominated the everyday life. Raqqa even before that was suffering from underdevelopment,  poverty,  and deprivation. It was not receiving much attention from the central government in terms of higher education. The only official institution in the city was a branch of the University of Al-Furat that opened just before the beginning of the civil war in the country in 2011. Such unfair treatment has caused a severe shortage in educational infrastructures  being provided to students of this city. During Da'esh's rule over the city, a total ban on all types of teaching (private and public schools) was enforced, and this delayed education for many children and youth of the city and the region around.

After the liberation of Raqqa in 2017, a group of intellectuals decided not to permit the negative consequences of Da'esh's rule on the city and to resist and overturn the tremendous devastation Da'esh had brought on Raqqa and the region. The effort finally resulted in establishing the University of Al-Sharq in October 2021. The primary objective of the university was not only to provide education to students but to play a prominent role in rebuilding a society that has been severly damaged by years of war and dystopian rule of Da'esh. Through its relations with the community, the educational system it builds, and teaching styles it employs, the university emphasize on modern knowledge and academic skills and expertise alongside cultural and moral perspectives from the region.

The university started with eight departments as the followings; Arabic literature, Pedagogy (classroom teachers), chemistry, math, physics, biology, technical institute, English institute, and institute of languages).  Please note that the institute of languages is currently ready and advertising to teach five languages as the followings; Arabic, English, French, German and Kurdish.