Italian, Palestinian Reps of Higher Education Discuss Cooperation Under E-PLUS Umbrella

Birzeit University’s Academic Affairs Office held on January 26, 2014 a meeting for representatives of a number of Italian and Palestinian universities and doctoral students enrolled in Italian universities.

The meeting, part of the Enhancement of the Palestinian University System (E-PLUS) project funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also attended by Birzeit University president Khalil Hindi, Italian Consul General in Jerusalem Davide La Cecilia, and the project coordinator at Pavia University.

Hindi welcomed academic collaboration with Italian universities that he said contributes to the development of the academic process and enhances exchange between students of Palestinian and Italian universities.

La Cecilia said that this cooperation is part of the Italian government’s vision and policies supporting the Palestinian people, especially in areas of education. He said that the E-PLUS project aims to improve the quality of education in Palestine, and provide the Palestinian community with qualified graduates to promote local development.

The project is being implemented in cooperation with eight Italian universities: Pavia University, University of Bologna, Sapienza University, University of Rome, University of Trento, Polytechnic of Milan, Palermo University and the University of Siena. They are partnered with seven Palestinian universities in the West Bank (Birzeit University, Bethlehem University, Al-Quds University, Hebron University, An-Najah University, Polytechnic University of Palestine, and the Arab American University of Jenin), and two universities in the Gaza Strip (the Islamic University and Al-Azhar University).