Birzeit, OsloMet collaborate to bolster women’s health as MIDRED-NORHEDII kicks-offBirzeit, OsloMet collaborate to bolster women’s health as MIDRED-NORHEDII kicks-off

Palestinian and international women's health experts and professors began laying the groundwork for a collaborative research project, spearheaded by Birzeit University, that explores how to provide sustainable, high-quality health services for women and their families through strengthening midwifery and influencing women’s health policy-making.

Entitled "Midwifery Research and Education Development in Palestine and Ghana (MIDRED)," the project will integrate research focused on women's health and related policies, and later develop a master's program at Birzeit University.  

Several intensive kickoff meetings took place with the participation of Dr. Berit Mortensen, project manager at OsloMet University, and Dr. Sahar Hassan, who directs the project at Birzeit University. Through the meetings, the Palestinian and international teams set plans to initiate collaborative networks with local and international institutions, such as the Directorate of Women’s Health at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Norwegian Representative in Jerusalem, and discussed how best to kick-start the project's scheduled 2022 activities, such as developing research plans and proposals.

At Birzeit University, the project team met with Dr. Rania Abu-Hamdah, dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Professions, and Dr. Amir Khalil, director of the Office of Grants and Contracts, to discuss opportunities for collaboration between the nursing programs at Birzeit University and OsloMet University.

The project is also sponsoring a Ph.D. scholarship, which was awarded to Khadija Zaza, a midwife from Jenin, following a national announcement in December of 2021 and intensive interviews in January of 2022. Zaza is expected to enroll in the Ph.D. Program in Health Sciences at OsloMet mid-March.