The Ibn Rushd Unit for Educational Development held its 7^th educational encounter on 6 November  2009 to discuss vital educational issues, in which the Researcher in Higher Education, Mr. Iyad Abu al-Rub, addressed the "viability of the Palestinian universities at the institutional and organizational levels: Birzeit University as a case study."

Mr. Abu al-Rub presented the results of a study he prepared at the Institute of Educational Research at the University of Oslo on the viability of the universities, especially since a number of Palestinian universities including BZU are operating under a national authority within a constitutional vacuum, yet they managed to maintain their independence despite the occupation.

He explained that the main component of  viability of universities in general, is the universality of its idea as institutions involved in a lot of traditions and knowledge-based, which does not recognize the border. He added that in the case of Birzeit University, this factor has enabled its transition from school to college, with the assistance American University of Beirut.

He added that selective adaptation is another factor for BZU's survival and sustainability and this factor can't be activated in the absence of democratic umbrella, noting that BZU utilized this factor as a safety belt to protect itself from external pressures.

As to the third factor, which is the adopted funding policy,  stressing on how to manage and deal with funding issues that have contributed to BZU's survival and  to the preservation of its mission in light of the continuous refusal to conduct joint academic projects with Israel.

Finally, Abu-Rub stated that BZU's internal organizational structure and its organizational identity are crucial elements to its survival, and to its ability to recruit the three previously mentioned factors, pointing out that the spirit of BZU has emerged as a power factor in each time it encounters challenges.