19th Arab Universities Forum for the Exchange of Student Training Addresses Labor Needs

Represented by deans of student affairs, Palestinian universities concluded the sessions of the 19th Arab Universities Forum for the Exchange of Student Training Offers, held at Zarqa University in Jordan from April 30 to May 2, 2013. The forum was sponsored by the Association of Arab Universitiesand approximately 90 Arab universities participated.
Sessions addressed the gap between Arab higher education and the needs of the labor market, as well as obstacles to bridging this gap. Participants presented a number of proposals, procedures and mechanisms that can assist in achieving harmony between the outcomes of Arab higher education and the labor market.
Arab university representatives discussed problems training Palestinian university students despite the difficulty of obtaining visas for host countries and the restrictions imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the travel of some Palestinian students.
Palestinian universities have obtained more than 200 multi-disciplinary student training opportunities on Arab universities and companies.
The participants presented the following recommendations:
• To count student training sessions as completed courses, thus providing them with greater credentials.
• To allow the Arab Council to supervise training at Arab universities.
• To form committees in host countries to deal with growing problems.
• To facilitate and simplify entry and exit procedures for Palestinian and Iraqi students.
• To organize specialized workshops and training courses throughout the year.
• To issue membership cards for students of Arab universities that allow access to services at discounted prices.
• To call on Arab universities that did not participate in the forum to join for the good of their students.
• To set up a fund supporting training activities and scientific research.