First Phase of “Student Leadership and Active Citizenship Program” Begins

Supported by Cairo Amman Bank, the first phase of Birzeit University’s “Student Leadership and Active Citizenship Program- Masari” started recently.

The launching ceremony was held in the attendance of the Vice President for Planning and Development Mirvat Bulbul, the Director of the Creativity Unit at the Center for Continuing Education Osama Mimi, and the Marketing and Services Development Director at Cairo Amman Bank Thaera Karajah.

Bulbul pointed out that the program development and implementation will be divided into two phases. The first phase will target faculty members and staff, who will be in-house trainers and mentors through provision of numerous iterations of training of trainers’ (TOT) schemes. The second phase will target newly-enrolled undergraduate students. The program will be launched in the upcoming academic year in September 2017.

Bulbul praised the Bank’s support to the program. She assured that the “Student’s Leadership and Active Citizenship Program” will create an environment for entrepreneurship and innovation. “Masari aims to engage students in the sustainable development of their communities. Students will be able to create their own careers and discover the areas where they can be more creative and innovative.”

In turn, Mimi offered a conceptual framework of the learning journey of the program, alluding to its importance in developing the students’ skills, and increasing their employability in the future. “The program aims to create a flagship co-curricular student leadership and civic engagement program that empowers them to take charge of their own future, challenge the status quo, and enact needed change.”

Karajah reaffirmed the Bank’s role towards youth, which is the main reason why the Bank is committed to supporting this program. “Young people are one of the building blocks of any nation”, she commented. “This program will help first-year students to be able define their career paths and their impact on the society.”

On behalf of the Palestine Regional Manager at Cairo Amman Bank Joseph Nesnas, Karajah expressed the Bank’s enthusiasm about the program, for its expected contribution to develop the creativity and professional skills among students.

Birzeit University and Cairo Amman Bank recently signed a memorandum of understanding to support the Student Leadership and Active Citizenship Program.