Yarmouk University, through the Refugees, Displaced Persons and Forced Migration Studies Center and the International Institute of Asian Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen academic partnership by working on conducting studies and research in the fields of humanities and social sciences as well as partnership in organizing and implementing international conferences and workshops. The Memo was signed on behalf of Yarmouk by its president, Professor Islam Massad, and on behalf of the Institute by its director, Dr. Philippe Peycam.

The Director of the Refugee Center, Dr. Ruba Al-Akash, said that signing the memorandum reflects the Center's vision as a national and regional research body that supports decision-makers and researchers in asylum and migration issues. She then pointed out that the Center is keen to strengthen partnerships in the field of academic and research cooperation with various international institutions, which enables faculty members and researchers at Yarmouk to cooperate with their counterparts from universities and research institutions in various countries of the world and exchange experiences with them. She also stressed the importance of the cooperation with the International Institute of Asian Studies, which is an international platform for knowledge exchange, through the implementation of more research and studies that constitute a solid base for researchers in the field of asylum and displacement, and a scientific reference trusted by decision-makers concerning refugees.