Al-Diwan Roundup: News and Analysis in Publishing and Academia from the Arab World

Al-Diwan brings you the latest news and analysis in publishing, academia, pedagogy, and knowledge production from across the Arab world.

Censorship and the Jordanian Reader
By M. Lynx Qualey (Arabic Literature [in English])

What does it take to have a book banned in Jordan? Thanks to the country’s strict censoring regulations, not much.

A Young Iraqi Hopes to Unite and Heal His Country Through Books
By Shirin Jaafari (Public Radio International)

Ali al-Makhzomy sets up small libraries in cafes across Baghdad with the hope of reigniting the public’s love for knowledge and literature.

The Deterioration of Yemeni Academic Institutions
By Murad Alazzany and Robert Sharp (Yemen Times)

Despite demands for reform, Yemen’s institutions for higher education continue to fail to meet the public’s need, in both educational quality and their inability to take in more students as demands for higher education increase.

In Libya, Universities Struggle to Get Internet Access
By Reda Fhelboom and John Dyer (Al-Fanar Media)

In Libya, corruption and misuse of the system are hampering academic institutions’ ability to gain access to the internet, prolonging the reliance on paper while other countries advance with technology in the classroom.

Access to Education an Added Challenge for Refugees in Egypt
(IRIN)

An increasing influx of Syrian refugees into Egypt, which already hosts refugees from nearby African countries such as Sudan, are facing hurdles when it comes to finding an opportunity for education.

Declining Investments Hurt Egypt's Education Sector
By Eman Abo Elhaded (Zawya)

Government funding difficulties and challenges to private investment paint a bleak picture for a much needed development of Egypt’s education sector.

In Egyptian Universities, On-Going Protests Interrupt an Education
By Kaylan Geiger (Al-Diwan)

On-going protests on university campuses in Egypt interrupt the flow of education, and it seems there is no end in sight.

Lebanon’s Shiite Seminaries Split Between Tradition, Modernity
By Haytham Mouzahem (Al-Monitor)

Shiite religious schools in Lebanon are diverging from their traditional format of education as some offer a more modern approach.

Rebel Academics Set Up University to Save Syria's 'Lost Generation'
By Daisy Carrington (CNN)

With the hope of providing former university students in Syria with an education to build a new future for the country, ousted academics created the Free Syrian University.

For Many Palestinian Refugees, Higher Education is Not an Option
By Rasha Faek (Al-Fanar Media)

Life as a Palestinian refugee in Jordan, Lebanon and elsewhere comes with many hurdles, including discrimination and roadblocks to higher education, writes Rasha Faek for Al-Fanar Media.

Middle East Teacher Shortage ‘Critical’
(Arabian Business)

Education advisory company Pearson says the teacher shortage in the Arab world is alarming and needs to be addressed immediately, especially if the region is to meet UNESCO's prediction that the Arab world should create 1.6 million teaching positions by 2015.