New chairs promoting entrepreneurship as well as social sciences and humanities introduced at Birzeit University

Recognizing that scientific research is one of the cornerstones of Birzeit University’s educational process and future plans, Birzeit University announced the establishment of the Rami Zahi Khoury Chair for Entrepreneurship, which will be held by Dr. Grace Khoury, and the Arab Council Chair for Social Sciences and Humanities, which will be held by Dr. Munir Fakher Eldin.

The Rami Zahi Khoury Chair for Entrepreneurship aims to establish a comprehensive framework for entrepreneurship at Birzeit University to promote innovation, create a supporting environment for students to help them recognize their social responsibilities and potentials, foster innovative thinking, enhance students’ entrepreneurial capacities across all categories, and provide students with the knowledge, skills and practical experience need to excel. The chair was established with the support of Palestinian businessman Zahi Khoury in line with the conviction that young generations are the drivers of economic growth and social change.

Dr. Grace Khoury, dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, has held many administrative positions at Birzeit University. She was the director of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and the chairperson of the Department of Business Administration as well as the Finance Department. Dr. Khouri has an experience of over 30 years. She holds an MBA from Suffolk University, USA, and a PhD in human resource management from Bradford University, UK. She served as a member of the University Council, the Academic Council and other university committees. She also served as an independent member of the Nation Bank’s board of directors and a member of the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute’s board of trustees (MAS). She obtained certificates in project management as well as customer relationship management and has published a number of books and research papers in academic journals. Dr. Khoury is also a member of the editorial board of the Learning Organization Journal, Emerald, and the Arab Economic and Business Journal.

As for the Arab Council Chair for Social Sciences and Humanities, it was donated by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Qatar, to enhance teaching and research in social sciences and humanities. It also aims to follow up with the developments in the field of artificial intelligence, which generates knowledge and marks a turning point in many social dimensions and issues, including language, memory, identity, national struggles, social justice and environmental issues.

Dr. Fakhr Eldin, dean of the Faculty of Arts, has held many positions and written many books. He was the director of the Israeli Studies master’s program at Birzeit University and the chief editor of the General Survey of Israel in 2020. Dr. Fakhr Eldin conducted extensive research on the history of land ownership in Palestine in the late Ottoman Empire and issues of identity, colonialization and resistance in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy, sociology and anthropology and his master’s and PhD in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies from New York University, USA.