Amir Khalil, external relations officer, highlights university exchange programs at Powiślański international days

Dr. Amir Khalil, the external academic relations officer at Birzeit University, has recently explored opportunities to bolster academic exchange between the university and other Erasmus+ partner institutions at the 2021 Powiślański University International Days, held online between June 17 and 19, 2021. 

After an introductory presentation by administrators at Powiślański University on the institution and its exchange programs, Khalil gave a brief overview of Birzeit University, highlighting its academic offerings, the programs that it makes available to international students, and the academic exchange opportunities that it offers. 

In his presentation, Khalil discussed the internationalization efforts at Birzeit University and their impact on the institution’s faculty, staff, and students. The university, Khalil explained, focuses on equipping its students with the tools and knowledge required to lead and advance their communities in an ever-changing world, and part of that is based on gaining an international perspective that can only be developed through local, regional, and international exchange programs. 

The event comprised several sessions over three days, the first of which saw representatives of universities from the Philippines, Jordan, Macedonia, Bangladesh, India, and Belarus, among other countries, discuss student and faculty exchange programs and initiatives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The second day of the event included presentations detailing the experiences of students in exchange programs and ways in which they could be improved, while the third day saw presenters discuss internationalization as a process during the COVID-19 pandemic and digitalization as a method of achieving institutional sustainability.