Welfare Association and BZU Partner in Academic Excellence Program

The dream of many Palestinian students became a reality with the October 15, 2012 signing of an agreement between Birzeit University and the Welfare Association for an Academic Excellence Program.BZU President Khalil Hindi and Welfare Association Director Tafidah Jarbawi signed a partnership agreement for a scholarship scheme that recognizes and promotes academic excellence. The program will establish scholarships in the names of its benefactors for students who demonstrate academic excellence and who lack the financial resources to afford a university education.A total of 280 scholarships, from a fund of $848,000, will be awarded to qualified students to cover tuition fees throughout their years of study at BZU. Shakkour Abu Ghazaleh Scholarships for outstanding students will award 40 scholarships to first year students over a period of four successive years. Eighty Um Omar Abu Ghazaleh Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding female students over a period of four years as well.On behalf of BZU, President Hindi praised the newly-established Academic Excellence Program, stating that it lies at the heart of the niversity’s policy to promote academic excellence and address affordability issues that might otherwise deter students from pursuing higher education at BZU. He expressed his gratitude to the Welfare Association, whose programs have contributed greatly to the development of Palestinian society. He further thanked the Abu Ghazaleh family for their generous support and unrelenting sponsorship of education in Palestine.Director Jarbawi said that the agreement is part of the Welfare Associations’ strategic objectives to make a distinguished contribution to empowering the Palestinian people and preserving their heritage and identity. The Welfare Association achieves that objective by identifying Palestinian needs and priorities and then responding by finding funding resources, she said. She also underscored the importance of this scholarship scheme in fostering creativity and intellectual, social, and cultural growth among its designated beneficiaries, thus responding to the needs of Palestinian society.nbsp;