Jakub Šlosárek, Czech representative in Palestine, bolsters connections in visit to Birzeit

Jakub Šlosárek, the head of the Representative Office of the Czech Republic in Ramallah, discussed expanding academic ties and research cooperation with Birzeit University in a meeting with university president Dr. Beshara Doumani on April 11, 2022.

Attending the meeting were Dr.Amir Khalil, director of the External Academic Relations Office; Rania Maree, director of the Public Relations Office; and Anna Morávková, development cooperation and economic affairs coordinator at the Czech representative office. 

In the meeting, Šlosárek discussed with Birzeit University’s administrators bolstering academic and research cooperation with Czech educational and research institutions. This collaboration, he noted, would focus on areas such as health, natural sciences, and IT through student and faculty exchange programs as well as joint academic programs and research projects. 

Welcoming opportunities to expand Birzeit University’s connections, Doumani, said that local and international academic links figure prominently in achieving the university’s mission of equipping students with the skills and knowledge to lead and develop the Palestinian community. Joint research and teaching programs, he explained, play a vital role in presenting students and faculty with a variety of perspectives, helping them produce engaged scholarship.

“Our goal is to connect Birzeit University’s students, faculty and staff with their international peers, providing them with the opportunity and space to gain rich experiences and even richer networks through mobility opportunities and joint programs,” Khalil said, providing a brief overview of the university’s efforts to expand its international academic relations. The university, he added, has more than 70 partner universities all over the world, especially in Europe, through international programs, associations and affiliations.

One such program that Khalil highlighted is the upcoming International Staff Training Week, held annually at Birzeit University, where faculty and staff members from local and international partner institutions build connections with the university’s community and lay the groundwork for long-term partnerships.