- Suad Al Darra is a Syrian researcher who lived in Saudi Arabia, Damascus, Cairo, and Galway, Ireland due to conflict and seeking opportunities. - She discusses the challenges refugees with scientific backgrounds face including lack of recognition of Syrian universities in Europe, complicated visa processes, and difficulty advancing academically rather than focusing on survival. - Her current work involves connecting Syrian applicants with European researchers, analyzing social networks to provide aid to refugees, and advocating for easier job and scholarship opportunities for refugees through programs like Euraxess and Science4Refugees.

1. Understanding and Tackling the Migration
Challenge: The Role of Research
Suad Al Darra
Syrian Researcher, Fujitsu Ireland
4 February 2016, Brussels

2. Background
- April, 1986: Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Lived there for 17 years
- 2003: Graduated from High School
- 2003: Left Saudi Arabia

3. - 2003: Studied IT & Software Engineering in Damascus University
- 2008: Worked in several companies
- March 2011: The Syrian Revolution
- March 2012: Took First Aid Courses to volunteer in Red Cross
- December 2012 : Got married and left Syria
Background

4. - December 2012: Moved to Cairo, Egypt
- January 2013: Martyrdom of my Father-in-law
- July 2013: Egyptian Military taking over government
- July 2013: Syrians banned from entering Egypt
- September 2013: Job offer from Fujitsu (Euraxess)
- December 2013: Left Egypt
Background

5. - January 2014: Moved alone to Galway, Ireland
- Started working with Fujitsu
- April 2014: Reunited with my husband
- Got more involved in Data Analytics Research and Applications
- Participated in The Extended Semantic Web Conference (Slovenia)
& won Linked Data Mining Challenge.
- Started Women Techmakers Group and volunteered
in several Tech groups
Background

6. Euraxess
Hosting Agreement
- Better than work permit
- Faster process
- Long Residency VISA after 2 years instead of 5
- Family reunion
Science4Refugees:
- Refugees need easier steps, less complicated visa process and an
understanding environment when applying for jobs.
- “Refugees To Be” could benefit from it instead of risking their lives
and immigrate illegally

7. Refugees With Scientific Background Challenges
“There’s a big gap between the needs of Syrians desperate to escape their
country’s violence and what’s on offer around the world”
Shatha Alkhalil, a doctoral student at Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany.
- Their primary motivation for seeking to study abroad is survival, not academic advancement
- Not prepared for academic writings and scholarship proposals
- Grades doesn’t reflect their real abilities
- Syrian Universities are usually not recognized in EU
- VISA application is a nightmare
Pay a Smuggler or Seek a Scholarship? By Riham Kusa
http://www.al-fanarmedia.org/2015/09/pay-a-smuggler-or-seek-a-scholarship/

8. Current Work & Research
- Sharing job opportunities and scholarships with Syrian colleagues and
friends
- Connecting Syrian Applicants with European Researchers to proofread
their scholarship proposals

9. Current Work & Research
Analyzing Social Networks to find useful insights that can help
providing more support and aid for refugees
*Lucify: The flow towards Europe http://www.lucify.com/the-flow-towards-europe/

10. Current Work & Research
- “How my Degree in Engineering
Saved my life”
- “Go Home” Refugee Crisis from a
Syrian / EU perspective
Lettersfromgalway.wordpress.com
@suadarra
*Lucify: The flow towards Europe
http://www.lucify.com/the-flow-towards-europe/

11. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”
- Dr. Edwards Deming
Future Research Needs

12. Future Research Needs