SU offers critical abroad opportunities in the Middle East

Syracuse University’s initiatives to connect with the Middle East are advances that should continue to be supported. Students have been given opportunities to study in the region, and university officials have made greater efforts to bring Middle Eastern students to SU.

Today, and throughout recent history, misconceptions between the West and the Middle East have strained the regions’ relations. Education is an integral component to understanding and communicating peacefully between regions of the world, especially those with contrasting cultural norms and beliefs.

SU students should seize the opportunities this university is supplying to travel to the Middle East. Though traveling through SU to several countries in the region is not currently offered due to safety, countries like Morocco, Jordan and Turkey are still accessible and safe.

Just as SU students should be encouraged to learn about the Middle East, students from the region should also continue to be brought to the SU campus to learn. The SU office in Dubai has attracted more Middle Eastern students to attend the university and has increased SU’s presence overall in the region.

These crucial opportunities to connect with the Middle East through education make SU an appealing option for students hoping to gain a more comprehensive and thought-provoking education.

College years are the most ideal time to be exposed to the political differences between these two regions of the world. It is a time filled with chances to learn and develop a better understanding of global differences.

SU should offer more diverse courses at its abroad centers in the Middle East to allow a wider variety of students with differing majors to experience the region. Students may also wish to seek out programs besides those offered at SU.

Interest meetings concerning programs in the Middle East are happening this week.