- Continued political unrest in the region has led to school closures, restricted access to educational facilities, and restrictions on travel. This pattern exists for almost all higher education institutions in the West Bank and Gaza.
- The capacity of the West Bank and Gaza institutions to absorb the growing population of students is severely strained.
- Palestinian universities are in dire need of institutional strengthening to improve their operations and planning. They are weak in financial management and internal controls, which has affected their ability to manage existing resources and raise additional funds.
- Universities lack access to current curriculum, research methodology, and technology. As a result, graduates enter employment lacking the skills and knowledge equivalent to their global peers.
- The isolation of the West Bank and Gaza has affected university faculties' ability to follow educational and subject matter trends in their disciplines.
USAID RespondsSince 2000, the West Bank/Gaza Mission of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided $27 million to increase higher education and training opportunities for Palestinians. The program targets university students, universities, and training of professionals. ResultsStudents: USAID provides scholarships for undergraduate study at Palestinian institutions and graduate study in the U.S. - As of January 2004, 478 undergraduate scholarships have been awarded to academically talented, financially challenged Palestinian students to study at accredited universities and colleges in the West Bank and Gaza. In addition to maintaining high grades, scholarship winners are required to perform 30 hours of community service.
- To date, 90 Palestinians have earned or are scheduled to earn master's degrees from U.S. universities in such majors as business administration, law, urban planning, information technology, public health, and water resources management. Graduates have returned to assume jobs that build the Palestinian community and economy, including chief of electoral affairs at the Palestinian Central Election Commission; trade specialist at the Ministry of National Economy; reporter for Al-Jazeera.net; and engineer for a major public works program.
- Another 70 Palestinian scholarship recipients will be sent to the U.S. in 2004-2005 for graduate studies in business administration, information technology, environmental studies, public administration, education, public health, urban planning and legal studies.
Universities: USAID initiated partnerships between U.S. and Palestinian universities to provide faculty and staff training; develop curriculum; offer exchanges between faculty, staff and students; and establish joint-research ventures. In addition, USAID funded a survey of Palestinian higher education for use by academic and government leaders. - In 2000-2003, eight U.S.-Palestinian university partnerships were established to develop a new curriculum and better research methodology:
- Four partnerships - the University of Oklahoma and Bethlehem University, Purdue University and Islamic University of Gaza, Calvin College and Birzeit University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Palestine Polytechnic Institute - concentrate on developing water resources.
- Other fields of focus are law (University of Georgia and Birzeit University), public policy (Georgia State University and An Najah University), public health (Johns Hopkins University and Al Quds University) and university administration (Utah State University and Arab American University in Jenin). - In September 2003, an eight-month survey that evaluated the Palestinian higher education system and determined its needs was published. The results were provided to academic leaders and the Ministry of Higher Education. A USAID-funded workshop for Ministry officials and academic leaders was held in Ramallah in May 20, 2004, to discuss priority needs and solutions. The following activities aim to respond to a number of the priority needs:
- HEMIS Assessment: a comprehensive review of the data collection and management systems of each university and college, and how it answers to the Ministry's reporting needs.
- Purchasing electronic journals for higher education institutions.
- Funding research proposals.
Professional training: To develop the Palestinian economy, USAID provides U.S. internships and local, U.S., and international training to Palestinian professionals. - To date, 210 professionals and recent university graduates have received or are receiving information technology training in Oracle, Java, Web Developer, Security System Specialist, and Microsoft systems.
- In spring 2005, 12 journalists will receive short term technical training in news coverage planning, interview techniques, ethics, regulatory framework, the role of media in democracy, investigative reporting, and financial and economic aspects of the media industry.
- As of June 2002, 24 professionals completed training in the fields of health, business, water and environment, and private enterprise. Participants studied at American universities (including Harvard, Boston University, and the University of Connecticut), and at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
- Seventy-two West Bank/Gaza professionals in information technology received Microsoft Certification training in Ramallah, Nablus, and Gaza in May 2002.
- As of spring 2002, 26 professionals completed U.S. internships in finance, business, advertising, banking, energy conservation, and marketing.
Partners: USAID partners with outside organizations to implement its programs. The partners for the higher education program are: Last updated on October 21, 2005. |
USAID WEST BANK & GAZA
