The BZU Testing Laboratories celebrated the graduation of laboratory technician trainees at the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday, 14 May 2009. This comes within a "improving the quality of Palestinian olive oil" project, conducted in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture and Italian Cooperation. It was attended by the undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Mahmoud Hussein, BZU Vice President for Community Affairs, Dr. Ghassan Khatib, Director of BZU Testing Laboratories, Dr. Aqel Abu-Qara', Project Manager at the Italian Cooperation, Ibrahim Matar, Director General of the Soil and Irrigation at the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Qassem Abdo, and the Project Manager at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ihsan Abu Rob.

Dr. Khatib praised the holding of a series of training courses within this project as an attempt to bridge the gap between the requirements of practical life and the theoretical academic life, since BZU through its institutes and centers seeks to employ its potentials to serve these goals.

Dr. Khatib explained different various advantages that the Palestinian olive oil and olives sector plays from the economic, social and political aspects, stressing the need to convert this symbolic dimension into an effective economic dimension.

Mr. Hussein thanked and the Italian Cooperation for their support to this training, stressing the need to employ a staff of graduates with a high level of scientific knowledge and practical applications.

This training is part of the first phase of the above-mentioned project. A training course for managers of olive oil presses will be held to train them on high-quality proper production. Another training course on organic certification of olive oil will be held in order to encourage exports.