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Please note: this event has passed


In recent months, universities in the Gaza Strip have been almost totally destroyed by the Israeli state. While this attempt to eliminate an entire higher education sector is unprecedented, it is part of a much longer history of attacks on Palestinian universities and an ongoing campaign of ‘scholasticide’ (Nabulsi 2009). Yet, as outlined in a recent major call by Gaza academics, the buildings, libraries, and campuses may lie in ruins, but Gaza’s universities still very much exist. As Palestinian academics, staff and students struggle for the future survival of Palestinian higher education, what are our responsibilities in the international academic community to support them?  How can we at King’s support the resilience and rebuilding of universities in Gaza? 

Hosted by the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) and the Higher Education Research Group (HERG@KCL), and supported by the ECS Research & Impact Fund, a distinguished panel of visiting Palestinian academics will be speaking at King’s College London on Wednesday 26th June 2-4.30pm. They will speak about the current situation for Palestinian higher education and what Palestinian universities are calling for in terms of support from the international academic community. We will discuss ways in which King’s and other UK universities can support universities in Gaza – at the institutional level, within our own departments and research centres, and as academics, staff and students.

We would be delighted if you can join this interactive discussion. Please RSVP quickly as spaces are limited.

Speakers:

  • Prof Ahmed Abu Shaban, Dean of Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Gaza, Palestine
  • Prof Nasreddin Elmezaini, Professor in Civil Engineering, Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine 
  • Dr Samia Al-Botmeh, Assistant Professor in Economics, Birzeit University, West Bank, Palestine 
  • Prof Abdel Razzaq Takriti, Associate Professor of History and Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair in Arab Studies, Rice University, US
  • Omar Shweiki, Director, Friends of Birzeit University, UK

With an introduction from Professor Sharon Gewirtz, Co-Director of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) and chaired by Dr Helen Murray, co-convener of the Higher Education Research Group (HERG@KCL), School of Education, Communication and Society, King’s College London

Agenda

2.00-3.15: Panel discussion and Q&A with visiting Palestinian academics on the current context of higher education in Palestine and what Palestinian universities are calling for from the international academic community

3.15-3.30: Coffee break

3.30-4.15: Interactive table discussions on how King’s and other UK universities can      support universities in Gaza (including academic links through teaching and research; technical support through IT, library and other resources; Palestinian university scholarship/fellowship programmes to support students and academics to stay in their institutions; twinning models; and institutional advocacy and network building; etc). 

4.15-4.30: Reflections and proposed next steps

This event is for academics and professional services staff who would like to be involved in building links with Palestinian universities. While framed by the question ‘How can King’s support universities in Gaza?’, colleagues from other universities are warmly invited to join the event, to share ideas and learning, and contribute to a network of colleagues across UK universities who are committed to supporting the resilience and rebuilding of universities in Gaza.

A written report of the event with further details can be found here

Event details

Room G.16
James Clerk Maxwell Building
57 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8WA