Birzeit University’s Grants and Contracts Office held an information session introducing the capacity-building projects for higher education offered by the Erasmus+ Exchange Program. Known as key action 2, the capacity building projects support the accessibility and internationalization of higher education and aim to encourage cooperation between higher education institutions among the European Union and partner countries, by providing funding opportunities in all defined areas.

Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs of Bachelor Programs Khaled Altakhman emphasized the importance of such projects for acquiring and exchanging knowledge, building international networks between higher-education institutions and crafting new projects, including research. Such opportunity, according to Altakhman, is vital, not only to hone the university’s staff excellence and distinction among their peers, but also to promote the university’s international status and reputation.

Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts Amir Khalil introduced the attendees to the projects, stressing their role in the improvement and development of the quality of higher education, the writing of new curricula and the use of new methods in teaching and learning, and the development of new tools for university governance.

Khalil said that there are two types of capacity-building projects: the first is the joint projects, which aim to improve curricula, and the second is structural projects, which promote reforms in higher education systems in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

Khalil urged the staff to apply for the program, offering them some tricks and tips on how to write the application proposal.

Director of the Master Program in Software Engineering at Birzeit University Yousef Hassouneh, who applied for a number of capacity building projects under the framework of Erasmus+, told the attendees about his experience, and shared his guidelines on writing the application and submission.