Higher Education Priorities for Universities in Gaza
The Emergency Committee for Universities in Gaza has been established to respond to the urgent call from Gaza academics to coordinate international assistance in order to reopen universities in Gaza at the earliest date. Al Aqsa University, Al Azhar University and the Islamic University of Gaza have come together to articulate their urgent priorities, which are summarised below without ranking. The Emergency Committee calls upon the support of international universities and institutions in the following areas.
Detailed damaged assessments are currently being conducted by the universities and will be reported by the Committee as they become available. Further materials will be also issued to assist in the delivery of urgent support.
Future updates can be found on the website of the Emergency Committee: gazauniversities.org.
1. Public Pledges to Rebuild Gaza Universities
Today we are in a battle for the future for higher education in Gaza. We can only reverse the destruction of our universities with the commitment of our friends. We therefore urgently call upon universities and international institutions to publicly pledge to work with us in rebuilding our universities in Gaza at the earliest opportunity. This will send a powerful message to Israel and the international community that any attempt to destroy our institutions will not be successful and that there will be a future for our colleagues and students.
2. Immediate Support for Online Instruction
In order to maintain education in absence of a ceasefire, we seek support to resume teaching through our own universities. The following means of assistance are required.
Volunteer Lecturers
Many university faculty have been killed, many more are injured and displaced and living in conditions that make it difficult to resume teaching. We are seeking Arabic-speaking lecturers across various disciplines who can offer their expertise online. Working with Gaza universities, volunteers will ensure that students can continue their education at their own universities and courses can be delivered by the universities themselves.
Online Hosts for Teaching and Technical Support
Effective online education requires robust technical infrastructure. We need partners to host online teaching platforms and provide technical support. In some areas, this will require training for both faculty and students in the use of these platforms, ensuring smooth and effective online instruction.
Provision of Essential IT Equipment
Access to reliable IT equipment is critical for both students and faculty to participate in online learning. We are in dire need of laptops, tablets, and internet access devices to facilitate remote education. Access to Gaza is currently highly limited but many faculty and students are now residing in exile in Egypt, where technology can be delivered.
3. Student Scholarships
Sponsorship of Student Scholarships
We seek sponsorships to cover tuition and other educational expenses in order for students to continue their education at their own universities. The war has created economic devastation for Gaza society. The collapse in tuition fee income has compounded the financial crisis Gaza universities are facing. Scholarship support is a critical way of supporting students and their universities to resume teaching and research.
Degree Completion and Payment of Outstanding Fees
Many students are now unable to graduate due to unpaid fees they are now unable to cover, resulting in millions of dollars in university debt. Financial support to cover these outstanding fees will enable students to complete their degrees and enter the workforce, contributing to the recovery and rebuilding of Gaza.
Partnerships for Continuation of Practical Education
Fields such as medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, and engineering require practical training that cannot be fully achieved through online education. This is especially urgent for final-year students in these subjects who need access to laboratories and practical training facilities in order to graduate. We are seeking placements and visiting studentships for these students at international institutions in partnership with Gaza universities, allowing them to complete their education and obtain their qualifications.
4. Exile Student Support
Many students have been forced into exile and require support to continue their education. We seek to provide these students with access to online learning at their home universities or, where necessary and in partnership with Gaza universities, placements at institutions in host countries so they can continue their studies and eventually return to Gaza to contribute to its rebuilding.
5. Faculty Fellowships
Joint Fellowships
Collaborative fellowships with international institutions that support Gaza faculty to remain at their home universities in Gaza or working for them in exile are urgently needed. While placements at international universities provide vital assistance to faculty who have been forced to leave Gaza, in order that they do not weaken the integrity of the higher education system in Gaza, they should be undertaken in partnership with Gaza universities where possible. Partnered fellowships can help to strengthen academic programmes and the capacity of universities in Gaza, while at the same time supporting individual faculty.
6. Research Cooperation
Emergency Response
We seek collaboration with international researchers to assist with knowledge-based planning across sectors. This cooperation is vital for addressing immediate needs and laying the groundwork for long-term recovery. We welcome research partnerships with international universities and academics that serve the immediate needs of Gaza universities, its faculty and students.
Appendix - Universities represented on the Emergency Committee of Universities in Gaza
Universities in Gaza are registered with and regulated by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Al Aqsa University
Palestinian Authority governmental university founded originally as teacher training college in 1955, renamed Al Aqsa University in 2001.
International affiliations: Union of Arab Universities, Union of Francophone Universities, Mediterranean Universities Union
Location:
- Main Campus: Gaza City, Gaza Strip
- Additional Campuses: Khan Younis and other locations across Gaza
Academic Structure:
- Faculties: 10 main faculties, including Education, Arts and Humanities, Applied Sciences, Media, Business Administration, Physical Education, Fine Arts, Computer and Information Technology, Engineering and Health Sciences.
- Research Centers: Hosts several research centers focusing on areas such as educational development, social sciences, and media studies.
Student Body:
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 27,000 students
Faculty and Staff:
- Academic Staff: Over 440 faculty members and 1,300 staff.
Al Azhar University - Gaza
Independent university established in 1991.
International affiliations: Union of Arab Universities
Location:
- Gaza City, Gaza Strip
Academic Structure:
- Faculties: 12 main faculties, including Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering and Information Technology, Science, Agriculture and Environment, Arts and Humanities, Education, Economics and Administrative Sciences, Islamic jurisprudence, Agriculture and Environment and Law.
- Programmes: Offers undergraduate degrees in 77 majors, 33 master's programmes, and 5 doctoral programmes Chemistry, Environmental Science, Administrative and Financial Science, and the Law and Psychological Health.
- Research Centers: Hosts several research centers focusing on areas such as environmental studies, health sciences, and social sciences.
Student Body:
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 15,000 students
Faculty:
- Academic Staff: Around 500 faculty members.
Islamic University of Gaza
Independent university established in 1978.
International affiliations: Association of Arab Universities, Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, Community of Mediterranean Universities, and International Association of Universities
Location:
- Gaza City, Gaza Strip
Academic Structure:
- Faculties: 11 main faculties, including Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Education, Commerce, Sharia and Law, Usul al-Din, Information Technology, and Health Sciences.
- Programmes: Over 130 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across various disciplines.
- Research Centers: Multiple research centers focusing on areas such as community development, environmental studies, and technology.
Student Body:
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 20,000 students
Faculty:
- Academic Staff: Around 400 faculty members