"Excellence 2" Program Offers Students Private Sector Engagement

A reception organized by Palestine Development and Investment Ltd. (PADICO), the International Youth Foundation, and Sharek Youth Forum was held for 190 new student participants in the "Excellence 2" program on March 28, 2014.

The program aims to empower Palestinian university students to engage in the labor market, in partnership with seven Palestinian universities: Birzeit University, An-Najah University, Kadoorie University, Al-Quds, University, Arab-American University, Palestine Polytechnic University and Al-Quds Open University.

Vice-President for Administrative Affairs Adel Zagha said that the program will train generations of students in entrepreneurship, leadership and initiative. The program partners are seeking to shape students’ personality in an integrated manner, not only offering them the chance to join the labor market, but enabling them to use tools and apply concepts that may make a difference in their lives.

PADICO head Samir Hulileh highlighted the most important goal of the program, which is to absorb the capacities of youth, with the awareness that some political, economic and educational systems have recently been unable to cope with the changing and growing needs of youth.

Executive director of Sharek, Badr Zamareh, said that the "Excellence 2" program grew out of his organization’s conviction that it is critical for university students, exposing them to lectures delivered by professional and successful private sector figures, alongside special courses in language.

A number of students from the “Excellence 1” program presented their personal experiences at the reception, highlighting the activities and events that they have participated in, including a recent visit to Belgium and Abu Dhabi, where they attended international conferences and communicated with people of different cultural backgrounds.