University signs agreement to create innovation and entrepreneurship support center

Birzeit University’s Vice President for Administrative and Financial Affairs Mirvat Bulbul signed an agreement with the Palestinian minister of national economy Khaled Al-Osaily to create a technology and information technology support center under the university’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit on Tuesday, June 25, 2019. 

The center will provide technological and information support and services in research, innovation, and patenting with the aim to spur innovation and entrepreneurship among Palestinian youth and to establish research and development as a mainstay of the Palestinian community. 

Focusing on intellectual property, the center will raise awareness of the importance and significance of patents, create patent maps, and identify unprotected intellectual property. Additionally, the center will offer bibliographical and statistical research services. 

The signing ceremony was attended by Vice President for Planning and Development Ziad Mimi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Wasel Ghanem, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Labor Market Relations Coordinator Suhair Morar, Projects Coordinator Atef Shkokani, and Ministry of National Economy Trademark Registrar Ali Thoukan. 

Stressing the importance of encouraging and supporting innovation, Bulbul said that the university’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit was created to foster creativity and facilitate the sharing of breakthrough ideas. The unit, Bulbul added, deploys and administers the Leadership and Active Citizenship Program − Masari − which helps build the capacities of students and shapes them into the future leaders of the Palestinian community. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Al-Osaily emphasized the ministry’s efforts in supporting and promoting innovation, creativity, research, and technology transfer. He highlighted the significance of creating innovation labs and incubators that help thinkers and tinkerers sustain their projects and protect their intellectual properties.