Under the patronage of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and in the presence of an elite group of senior HR managers from major Syrian companies, representatives of ministers, university presidents, and civil society organizations, the Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM) celebrated the 19th anniversary of its establishment. These years were filled with activity, giving, and a positive impact in the field of community work.
Believing that building institutions starts with building minds, the idea of founding the Institute of Human Resources Management came from Dr. Munir Abbas, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He confirms that over 19 years of continuous activity, the institute has been present in the labor market as one of its main gateways and at several key junctions. Speaking about achievements since its establishment until today, he stated:
We organized 128 job fairs, provided 112,000 job opportunities, more than 48,000 in-company training opportunities, and 4,800 entrepreneurial training programs.
Last year, we also introduced 23 skills for entering the labor market in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, which we will train on this year 2026 under the slogan: “The place where human resources meet artificial intelligence.”
We have started training courses to combat digital illiteracy, targeting job seekers from the youth category. In his opinion, every job seeker is considered youth, even if they are 80 years old, as everyone is capable of giving and in need of skills.
Abbas points out that through partnerships with several private organizations whose members returned to the homeland after liberation, the institute has become one of the gateways to the labor market, and it is present in any related project. Regarding cooperation with ministries, he said that they have worked with all ministries, especially on labor laws for both public and private sectors.
It is worth mentioning that work at the institute is voluntary, free, and unpaid. The institute is considered one of the most important entities that embraces volunteers and qualifies them for the labor market. Modern Syria is not about machinery and equipment, but about human capital, which must be supported with skills. Building human capital is more important than building stone, because people are the ones who uplift the country. Therefore, our institution focuses on human resources. Abbas also announced the launch of a study on labor market salaries in the private sector.
The academic partner of the institute is the Syrian Private University in Damascus. Dr. Abdul Razzaq Al-Hussein, President of the University, praised the importance of this partnership for the services it provides, which benefit both students and the university by integrating students into the labor market. He emphasized the university’s responsibility to prepare educational outcomes ready for direct integration into the labor market, and the role of the institute in facilitating effective and smooth access to other institutions so that students do not remain unemployed for long periods.
Mr. Ali Al-Hallaq, General Manager of Pearl Company, stated that his company’s goals intersect with those of the institute, which led them to launch a partnership to introduce the institute to the world. The company uses human resources to serve the interests of the labor structure and to attract talents and human resources in service of the country, providing job opportunities from inside Syria to abroad and vice versa, across all sectors and nationalities. Regarding projects, Al-Hallaq said that their projects exist in the Arabian Gulf, Turkey, and Egypt, and today they have started in Syria out of belief that a country can only be built on human capital, which is the foundation of development for any nation. He added that all services are delivered professionally through sequential processes that benefit both employers and job seekers.
Engineer Bilal Al-Khatib, founder and CEO of Dawem IT Solutions, confirmed that digital transformation is essential for any institution, and that human capital and its development are fundamental, as people are a core part of any organization and must be developed. Dawem’s human resources management system was developed over seven years, incorporating international expertise to transfer it to the Syrian market. They aim to actively contribute to building a digital society supported by all necessary mechanisms and technologies to be among the leading countries in this field.
Regarding the idea of Dawem, Al-Khatib explained that there was a need to build a system that connects employees and companies. This led to a solution that facilitates attendance and departure processes and expanded to include leave management, salaries, evaluations, surveys, financial custody, and more, eventually adding an employee self-service feature. It is the most comprehensive application in the region, exceeding 150 functions. It is an integrated and advanced system that helps employees communicate effectively.
Al-Khatib noted that 400 companies have used this system in Bahrain and 150 companies in Saudi Arabia, and the application won the award for Best Human Resources Management System for the year 2025.
Osama Ahmed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sama Foundation for Sociological Studies and Research, stated that the foundation focuses on social issues, with human resources being one of its central topics, especially as it targets real capacities that will uplift the country. Regarding his participation, he said they came to exchange views, ideas, and partnerships with civil society organizations to offer everything they can, each according to their field and expertise, to advance the country. In his view, human resources require a specialized type of study to understand the needs of society and the local market. Accordingly, the foundation studies unemployment cases, labor force dynamics, active workforce, and all contemporary market developments alongside technological advancement, all of which impact society and the labor sector. Therefore, the human resources sector is vital and must be given sufficient space to develop the Syrian market and provide society with better capabilities and competencies to rebuild Syria.
Mr. Munir Haroun, CEO of Bemo Microfinance Bank, emphasized the crucial role of human resources as one of the main pillars of success for any institution, company, or bank. Today, Syria suffers from a major shortage of qualified and trained personnel capable of uplifting the country and keeping pace with the development that was lost since 2011 until the day of liberation. Haroun also suggested benefiting from the expertise of people returning from abroad by transferring their experiences to Syrian youth for training and development across various fields of work.
The event also included meeting creative and energetic youth who founded “Talents,” a software and artificial intelligence company. Mohammad Mustafa Mustafa, one of the founders, said that cooperation with the Institute of Human Resources Management aimed to lead the digital transformation of traditional recruitment through software solutions. In the era of digital transformation, it is essential to keep pace in the Syrian market to avoid falling behind. He emphasized that the Syrian market is smart and aware, and they are moving forward in this direction. He added that anyone, especially youth, in any field can keep up and develop themselves to bridge the gap between university education and the labor market. The company operates inside and outside Syria, developing applications and software, and aspires to expand into the European market.
Mohammad Zaeer, an AI engineer, confirmed that at “Talents” they work on multiple programs serving various global fields, including applications such as an exhibition management app that will be present at the Damascus International Fair, and the “Grace” app for psychological therapy, which is important for individuals facing mental health issues. However, their main focus remains artificial intelligence, which they seek to integrate into all aspects of life to assist people and support decision-making.
In conclusion, participants from institutions, companies, and associations were honored, along with sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and trainers.
The gathering formed a tableau of cooperation and goodwill, transforming individual efforts into a collective force capable of creating impact, opening new horizons for human resources, advancing Syrian society, and contributing to the rise of the new Syria.
