Dr. Rouba Mhaissen is the Founder and Director of Sawa Foundation, UK and Sawa for Development and Aid, Lebanon.

Her research project seeks to explore and understand the aspirations and opportunities available to Syrian refugee youth in Turkey and Lebanon, and how these influence life decisions about settling in place, voluntary return, and third-country resettlement. The study will examine youth perceptions of the future, their economic, legal, and humanitarian conditions, the role of international aid and assistance, and the potential short and long-term prospects for young Syrian refugees. The study aims to better inform UK foreign policy and UK immigration authorities’ understanding of the Syrian refugee situation and the factors contributing to changes in immigration flows.