On Wednesday 12/4/2017, Birzeit University and QOU held a workshop on integrating community institutions in administrative and economic researches in the higher education institutions in Palestinie, as part of the capacity building for adminstrative and economic .reserach centers project funded by EU-supported Erasmus program
The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Henry Giacaman, Vice President of BZU for Academic Affairs, Prof. Samir Al-Najdi, Vice-President of QOU for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Nidal Al-Jayyousi, Representative of Erasmus office in Palestine.
In his opening speech; Prof. Giacaman said that Birzeit University seeks to focus on the knowledge triangle based on combining education, scientific research and community service through supporting the University research centers, emphasizing the university’s willingness to cooperate with sister universities to develop researches that will contribute to linking universities with the labor market in a more effective way. Prof. Samir Al-Najdi mentioned that QOU interest in the development issue is not limited to education, but also it includes taking part in solving many of the problems of the community of the universities and pointed out that QOU is aware of the importance of establishing Scientific Research Centers referring to establishing (4) scientific research centers , some of which has been in operation while others are still under construction. He also mentioned that the University publishes (5) scientific refereed journals, which are classified internationally and have ISSN for paper and electronic publishing and one of them has Arab Impact Factor. QOU also,annually, publishes around (25) books and scientific researches prepared by faculty members of the university in addition to supporting (12) research projects at a rate of (5) thousand JDs for each . The University also organizes (35) scientific seminars and workshops and (5) scientific refereed conferences annually, including international ones. It is worth mentionaning that QOU won many international scientific and research awards, and recently won the Socrates International Award for the year 2017 as the leading university in science and education while its President,Prof. Younis Amr, won the Medallion of the Best Manager in the region for the year 2017.
Dr. Nidal Al-Jayousi talked about the program and its importance to our Palestinian universities, pointing out that it seeks to strengthen cooperation in the field of research between Palestinian universities on the one hand and Palestinian universities and their European counterparts on the other. He also called on the universities to generate ideas that would benefit the society mentioning that the program succeeded in establishing (7) new master’s programs that were introduced in the Palestinian universities with qualitative topics, noting that the program sent (850) students to study one or more semesters in the European universities, but it failed to send 450 students from Gaza as a result of the blockade and restrictions on travel. Dr. Jayyousi also pointed out to the importance of the project in focusing on both management and research .
Following the opening session, several scientific sessions were held. During the first session which was chaired by Dr. Talal Shahwan, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at BZU; Dr. Eng. Yousef Sabah, The Project Coordinator at Al-Quds Open University, presented the work progress in the capacity-building project of the Economic and Administrative Research Center. Prof. Diab Jarrar from Al Quds Open University also talked about the strategic plan of the Center for Administrative and Economic Research, while Mr. Omar Omran, the Project Coordinator at BZU, reviewed the work progress of the project. Dr. Suhail Sultan from Birzeit University talked about the strategic plan of the Center. A session chaired by Dr. Anton Sabila from Birzeit University discussed the scientific research in management and economics, and the interests of research groups.
The closing session was chaired by Prof. Husni Awad, presented the recommendations of the workshop.