Damascus University and Syrian research centers have achieved a new scientific accomplishment by including 4 Syrian researchers in the list of the top 2% of scientists and researchers worldwide, according to the Stanford University ranking for 2026, in an achievement that reflects the ability of Syrian talents to compete globally despite the limited capabilities and challenges facing the scientific research sector in the country.
Hot Topics
Syrian researchers in the ranking for the second year in a row is based on data from the global Scopus database, which measures scientific output and research citations, and covers research published up to the end of 2025.
water resource management, and disaster response using artificial intelligence . He indicated that these fields could contribute to addressing the economic, environmental, and developmental challenges facing the country, provided the necessary conditions are met to translate the research findings into practical applications.
Research that succeeds globally but falters locally
Despite this international presence, Al-Ra’i revealed a significant gap between research achievements and their actual utilization within Syria, stressing that the problem is no longer limited to producing and publishing research in prestigious scientific journals, but has become linked to the weak application of its results locally.
He said that a number of Syrian studies have garnered the attention of foreign institutions and universities, while their application within the country remains limited. He added, "The weakness lies in implementation; the research is published internationally and utilized by external entities, but it doesn't find its way to implementation within Syria."
For his part, Dr. Eng. Bilal Maan Zaarour, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Damascus University, said that he was able to enter the Stanford list for the third year in a row, as a result of continuous research work and maintaining a continuous scientific output.
He stressed that the importance of the achievement is compounded by the large difference between the resources and equipment available to Syrian researchers and those provided by universities and research institutions in other countries.
The challenge of transforming achievement into development
This achievement highlights the ability of Syrian researchers to continue producing scientific work despite the challenges, but it also underscores the need to link academic research to the country's economic and developmental needs. While Syrian research is successfully reaching global scientific platforms, the greatest challenge remains in providing the environment, institutions, and resources that will allow for the application of its findings within Syria.
Tags:
science
