December 15, 2025

Due to the devastating effects of war and waves of forced migration, thousands of young people whose educational dreams were left unfinished are rebuilding their lives in the safe haven provided by Türkiye. For students who were forced to leave their countries because of the harsh conditions in Syria, the Turkish higher education system represents far more than just a place of learning.

Under the leadership of the Council of Higher Education, Türkiye offers young people not only a high-quality diploma but also a secure future. Universities that rapidly integrate international students into both academic and social life help erase the traumatic traces of war, lay the groundwork for young people to build a brand-new life on their own feet, and restore the hopes they had lost.

Among these students, an aspiring doctor Reyam Albasha and her mother, Wahad Alhaj Yahia, stand out as an inspiring example. Continuing their education in Türkiye, the mother and daughter hold on to the future through the life they have built here, while Türkiye becomes not a temporary stop but a permanent homeland for them.

While Albasha continues her studies at Ankara Medipol University Faculty of Medicine, her mother Yahia is pursuing a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies at Sakarya University.

Having arrived in Türkiye in 2013 and currently a fourth-year student, Albasha described her experience in Türkiye as something she is “grateful for.” She stated that she initially faced difficulties with the language but overcame them thanks to the sincerity of the Turkish people and her friends, saying, “The Turkish people are truly warm-hearted. I have never felt like a foreigner here. Türkiye is now my second homeland.”

Pointing to the quality of the Turkish higher education system, Albasha said, “I think that all students at Turkish universities are part of the same strong system. My biggest goal is to take the medical knowledge and healthcare experience I gained in Türkiye back to my own country. If I ever return, I would like to help children and women there with what I learned in Türkiye.”

Like her daughter Albasha, mother Yahia also studies in Türkiye. After graduating from Mardin Artuklu University in 2024, she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies at Sakarya University.

Stating that Türkiye has set an example for the entire world by opening its arms not only to Syrians but to all students and academics affected by war, Yahia said, “Türkiye supports students and academics who are victims of war. We are grateful to Türkiye, which delivered aid to Gaza while the rest of the world remained silent.”