Syria establishes National University for Defense Sciences in Damascus

President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 147 on July 5, 2026, creating the National University for Defense Sciences, a specialized scientific and training institution for military sciences headquartered in Damascus. The decree gives the university a corporate identity with full financial and administrative independence and authorizes it to establish affiliated colleges, institutes and centers in Damascus and other provinces.

Structure and mandate

The new university will encompass the Higher Military Academy — including the National Defense College, the Higher War College and the Command and Staff College — as well as an Air Force College, a Naval Warfare College, a Military Academy, the College of Humanities and Administration, the Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology and various military technical institutes. The measure centralizes advanced military education under a single autonomous institution aimed at expanding defence-related higher education across the country, as reported by SANA