Qatar Fund for Development supports Birzeit University students with 861 scholarships in 20–21 academic year

More than 860 scholarships were provided to students to continue their academic journeys at Birzeit University during the 2020–2021 academic year with the help of the Qatar Fund for Development as part of a five-year agreement between the two institutions. 

Through the agreement, the Qatar fund supports the university’s high-achieving and underprivileged students with scholarships that cover their full tuition fees for the academic year. The grant also provides for the development of the university’s infrastructure, with $2.5 million of the overall $12.5 million grant earmarked for campus expansion and maintenance. 

Khalifa Jassim Al-Kuwari, general director of the Qatar Fund for Development, stressed the importance of education for the development of communities, saying that the fund, through its scholarship program, supports the education of marginalized and financially disadvantaged students in Palestine and many other countries. 

For low-income students, especially those who have to support their families, a scholarship provides an opportunity to focus on their studies and acquire the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to advance their communities. 

Ola Hasan, a beneficiary of the Qatar fund scholarship, is now able to dedicate her time to studying and volunteering, something she couldn’t do before as she had to work to support her family and pay her tuition fees at Birzeit University. “I now have the opportunity to focus on my studies and help my local community as much as I could,” Ola said. “I can direct my efforts towards developing myself academically and socially.” 

Dr. Abdullatif Abuhijleh, president of Birzeit University, praised the Qatar fund’s efforts to support higher education in Palestine, noting that the fund provides approximately 14 percent of the scholarships and grants offered by the university. Under its scholarship program, added Abuhijleh, Birzeit University covers the tuition fees of more than 4,000 students every year, an achievement that is made possible with the help of local and international contributors like Qatar fund for Development. 

With the continued help and support of the Qatar Fund for Development, more and more students will be able to graduate with the skills and tools that will allow them to help their local communities and the broader Palestinian society grow and prosper.