Tadween Roundup: News and Analysis in Publishing and Academia from the Arab World

News and stories with a focus on the publishing industry, education, and technology from across the Arab world.

A Dark Future for Syria’s Children
By Anna Therese Day (The Daily Beast)

Amid a stagnant conflict, education in Syria has been put on hold for many. UNICEF claims that at least one in five schools in Syria have been destroyed, damaged, or converted into shelters.

Over 50 Percent of UNRWA Schools in Syria Closed Due to Conflict
(ReliefWeb)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that over fifty percent of its schools in Syria have shut down, impacting two-thirds of Palestinian refugee students in the country.

Back to School: Even in Syria, Education is About Hope
By Sarah Dryden-Peterson and Maysa Jalbout (Brookings)

As the academic year begins for many across the world, children in Syria face a different reality.

Top-Flight Education at the Click of a Button
By Niamh Fleming-Farrell (The Daily Star)

Growing interest in massive open online courses (MOOCs) has found its way to the Middle East, where Hassan Kanj and Firas Wazneh are working to develop Menaversity, an Arabic-language open online learning platform.

The Battle of the Archives: What Egypt’s Intellectuals and Muslim Brotherhood Lost
By Joshua Hersh (The New Yorker)

In the midst of a power struggle between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Egyptian army, a battle over the protection and ownership of the Egyptian National Library and Archives emerges.

Universities Caught in Tunisia’s Political Crisis
By Fatma Shim (Al Fanar)

Following a summer full of political turmoil, universities in Tunisia fear that violence and political division could spread to campuses as the country prepares for the academic school year.

After Years of War, Rebuilding Iraq’s Libraries
By Jacki Lyden (NPR)

NPR talks with architect Amir Mousawi about his plans for the new Baghdad Library, which hopes to bring back the long-standing tradition of libraries and learning in the Iraqi capital after years of turmoil.

Iraq Academy Urged to Build Own Path to Quality
By Matthew Reisz (Times Higher Education)

After years of isolation, universities and scholars in Iraq look to build new relationships with other academic institutions abroad, after a report following a conference in Erbil calls on Iraq to build its own “model” for higher education.

AUB Inaugurates New Digital Media Academy
(The Daily Star)

In an attempt to bridge the gap between academia and digital media, the American University of Beirut opens a new Digital Media Academy.

Egypt’s Decision to Grant University Guards Arrest Powers Sparks Fears
(Ahram Online)

A new decision in Egypt that gives campus security guards the power to arrest students creates concern.

Amid MENA Turmoil, Morocco Prioritizes Education
By Theodore H. Kattouf (Your Middle East)

Theodore H. Kattouf, director of AMIDEAST, examines how Morocco’s King Mohammed VI plans to improve an education system plagued with problems.

Morocco’s Mismatch Between Graduates And Jobs
By Aida Alami (Al Fanar)

Mass illiteracy and high unemployment in Morocco highlights the country’s shortfalls in education amidst calls for reform and the debate over using French or Arabic in the classroom.

Israeli Curriculum Draws Criticism in East Jerusalem Schools
By Daoud Kuttab (Al-Monitor)

The implementation of an Israeli curriculum in Palestinian schools located in East Jerusalem highlights a struggle over culture and identity in education.

Baghdad Youth Campaign Behind a New Iraq
By Ahmad al-Rubaie (Your Middle East)

A youth campaign titled “I am an Iraqi and I demand a buffer zone” emerges from Baghdad, demanding that a United Nations-sponsored buffer zone be drawn up to create a safe “Iraq within Iraq.”

Oman Ministry of Education Detects over 1,200 Forged Certificates
(Times of Oman)

The Ministry of Higher Education in Oman discovers over that one thousand education certificates in a wide variety of disciplines have been forged.