Syrian Futures

Empowering Syrian refugees to realise their educational and professional potential.

Syrian Futures website now live: www.alwaleed.ed.ac.uk/syrianfutures

Based at the Alwaleed Centre, but working with students and staff from across the University of Edinburgh, Syrian Futures is a multi-stakeholder project offering Scottish Syrians of all ages advice, support and training to help them access higher/further education and find their way to fulfilling jobs and careers.

The project was founded in 2019 by the Alwaleed Centre's Outreach and Projects Coordinator, Nadin Akta, and has received funding from the College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences as well as the Alwaleed Centre. Nadin sits on the University of Edinburgh's Refugee Advisory Group and is an active member of the Universities of Sanctuary network.

Syrian Futures works closely with the University of Edinburgh's Widening Participation team to offer Syrian High School pupils opportunities to experience university life and take advantage of specialist help to help them consider their further/higher education options and submit strong applications.

In addition, Syrian Futures works with a number of public, private and third-sector organisations - including the Re-Start Foundation, the Edinburgh Festivals and the Department for Work and Pensions - to offer work experience and volunteering opportunities for Scottish Syrians looking to start or resume their professional careers.

For further information about the Syrian Futures Project, visit the website: www.alwaleed.ed.ac.uk/syrianfutures

You can also keep up-to-date with the project's various events and initiatives via the Facebook page: facebook.com/syrianfutures

Project Coordinator: Nadin Akta

Nadin is the Alwaleed Centre's Outreach and Projects Coordinator as well as Project Coordinator for Syrian Futures.

Nadin moved to Scotland from Syria in 2008 when her interests in communication and cooperation across cultures led to her undertaking a Masters's in Intercultural Business Communication and TESOL at Edinburgh Napier University.

Since finishing her studies, Nadin has worked and volunteered with a number of different Scottish local councils and third sector organisations, helping to support ethnic minority communities and encourage dialogue and communication across cultures and religions. When Scotland began to welcome significant numbers of Syrian refugees in 2015, Nadin began working closely with Scottish local authorities to help encourage a better understanding of Syrian culture, religion and tradition and support Syrian families as they settled into their new lives and communities.

Nadin is the co-founder of an award-winning tutoring scheme for Syrian teenagers at the University of Edinburgh which matches Arabic-speaking students from across the University with Syrian school pupils to help them on their educational journey, raise their confidence and meet new people.