Birzeit University hosted a regular meeting of deans of student affairs for all Palestinian universities on January 21, 2013 to discuss the impact of salary cuts on university student enrollment in the second semester, and the draft lending law for higher education institutions.

 

BZU President Khalil Hindi opened the meeting by saying that all higher education institutions in Palestine are on the same team, working to enhance the level of university education. Yet he also acknowledged the difficult circumstances they face.

"The deans of student affairs of Palestinian universities are entirely responsible for working out a formula in the prevailing financial crises,” he noted. “It is difficult to ask students to pay their tuition fees when their parents aren’t getting their salaries.”

The deans in attendance then each presented their universities’ tuition payment schemes, and discussed proposals to overcome the financial crisis afflicting the Palestinian universities.

Birzeit Dean of Student Affairs Mohammad Al-Ahmad said that this meeting was one of the regular meetings held by deans of student affairs to discuss all matters related to Palestinian universities, with a focus on the deans’ specific activities. He added that the current financial crisis has adversely affected registration for the second semester at Palestinian universities and therefore headed the agenda.

Palestinian universities represented at the meeting were Birzeit University, Al-Quds Open University, Hebron University, Bethlehem University, Palestine Ahliya University, Al-Quds University (Abu Dis), Polytechnic University , An-Najah University, Palestine Technical University (Khadouri) and the Arab American University.