Miassar Alhasan

Profile

An academic with over twenty-five years of experience in the academic and humanitarian fields, currently visiting fellow at the University of Leeds. I have been teaching in a university in the non-regime-controlled northwest of Syria, providing vital education and services to conflict-affected communities. A qualified engineer with a doctorate in guidance and control engineering.

Research interests

- The developmental collaborative partnership with the universities of Leeds, Kent, and Sussex under the auspices of Cara (2021 – ongoing). 

- ‘Enhancing HE Capacities and Quality in NW Syria: A Developmental Partnership.’ (Dec. 2023-Jun. 2025). 

- Project Partners: Universities of Leeds, Kent, and Sussex. Funder: The Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara). This project focuses on Sham University, which I'm leading. The aim is to develop a risk-based quality educational model that takes into account the realities of conflict affected areas and associated challenges.  The model will benefit Sham but also other HEIs in the non-regime controlled northwest of Syria or other fragile/conflict contexts. Working with the leadership and faculty of Sham University in northwest Syria to identify and address staff development needs and ensure quality across governance, curriculum, and pedagogy. Leading an institution-wide programme of participatory action research. 

Key Outcomes: Evidenced quality of HE provision in NW Syria against international standards; enhanced professional teaching and research skills; an embedded professional development programme; established international academic partnerships; enhanced student mobility beyond NW Syria and potential new pathways through UK-university partners; increased discipline diversity towards the arts, humanities, and social sciences in particular; improved staff and student gender balance; and a sustainable institutional strategy into the future. A Theoretical Contribution The project is located at the intersection of mass internal conflict-induced displacement and HE provision, and can deliver a major theoretical contribution to the field of academic development – a neglected area.   

Anticipated outputs: at least one peer-reviewed international journal article (e.g., International Journal of Educational Research Open), a conference presentation (e.g., International Conference on Educational Research (ICER) - London, Mar 15.2025), one book chapter in the new Elements Series' Higher Education and Forced Displacement' and a summary report to Cara and other regional stakeholders. 

- ‘Evaluating soil management practices in Conflict-Affected Areas (2024 – ongoing) 

- Evaluate the uptake of heavy metals from soils to typical crop plants under common soil management practices used in NW Syria and make recommendations for farmers in the region’. This is a collaboration with Sheffield Hallam and University of South Wales faculty members. Anticipated outputs: At least one peer-reviewed international journal article (e.g. Journal of Environmental Management; Science of the Total Environment), a conference presentation (e.g. European Geosciences Union General Assembly, April/May 2024) and a summary report to Cara and other regional stakeholders (e.g. humanitarian NGOs, charities, conflict observers, media, universities). 

PUBLICATIONS (RECENT)  

• Alhassan, M. (2023, March 18). Against hope, academics strive for global recognition of HE. University World News. Accessed 19/05/2023 at: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2023031512371432 

• Alhasan M., Lakmes A., Alobaidy M. G., Alhaeek S., Assaf M., Dawson L., Pirrie D., Abdeldayem Z. and Bridge, J. W. (2023) ‘A baseline survey of potentially toxic elements in the soil of northwest Syria following a decade of conflict’. Environmental Science: Advances (2023). A baseline survey of potentially toxic elements in the soil of north-west Syria following a decade of conflict. Environmental Science: Advances, 2(6), 886-897. 

• Assaf M., Lakmes A., Gazy Alobaidy M., Shabou F., Ahmad W., Alhasan M. and Trayek F. (2022). ‘Evaluating the effectiveness of student-record systems in conflict-affected universities in northwest Syria relative to student transition and mobility.’ International Journal of Educational Research Open, 3, 100128. 

- (Full list ORCID.ORG/0000-0003-3582-0482 |  

- RESEARCHGATE.NET/PROFILE/MIASSAR-ALHASAN) 

INVITED KEYNOTES, TALKS, AND PRESENTATIONS 

• ‘The reality of higher education in northwestern Syria and approaches to support it by international organizations’, Cara's 90th Anniversary event at the Royal Society (25 Sep. 2023).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNRlgxNZPCY 

• ‘Supporting Higher Education Syria’, SARN-UK INAGURAL LAUNCH (16-17 Sep. 2023). https://www.sarn-uk.org/events/conference-2023 

• ‘Raising the quality of higher education in northwest Syria through action research’ Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) annual conference: ‘Global Citizenship and Lifelong Learning’, Madingley Hall, Cambridge University (26-28 June 2023). 

• ‘Reframing higher education in emergency’, invited plenary, Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) Conference: Mobilities in Higher Education, (Dec 14, 2022). 

• Led Sham University delegation to the UK to conduct visits (Dec 2022) and present at:  

• University of London; 

• University of Leeds; 

• University of Kent; 

• University of Sussex; 

• The Royal Society. 

FELLOWSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS 

• Visiting Fellow, University of Leeds (2025 – Present)

• Honorary Fellow, University of South Wales (2020 – 2024). 

• Cara Syria Programme Fellow (2019 – Present). 

Qualifications

• PhD, Guidance and Control Engineering, Marshal Voronov Artillery Engineer Institute, Russia (1997)
• An advanced certificate in Russian/Arabic Interpretation, Penza/Russia (1995)
• Combined degree, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Aleppo University, Aleppo/Syria (1992).