The higher education system in Palestine
Recent policy updates, major reforms and related news
Relevant projects and initiatives
TAMs and SPHERE seminars in Palestine
The main features of the Palestinian Higher Education (HE):
Students can join Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) after completing their General Secondary Certificate Exam GSCE (Tawjihi).
Higher education is divided into two tracks:
Universities also offer post-bachelor programmes where they award higher diploma for one year, master's programs for a period of two years, and doctoral programmes in some disciplines for 3 years.
Higher Education Institutions
|
|
Governmental |
Public |
Private |
UNRWA |
Open Education |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Traditional Univ. |
15 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
|
University Colleges |
20 |
8 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
Community Colleges |
19 |
2 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
Total |
56 |
13 |
28 |
12 |
3 |
Students for the year 2016 – 2017
Type of HEI |
No. of HEIs |
No. of enrolled students |
Traditional Universities |
14 |
136459 |
Open Education Universities |
1 |
56,027 |
University Colleges |
16 |
14876 |
Community Colleges |
18 |
11,053 |
Total |
49 |
218415 |
Governance and Management:
Quality:
Open and Electronic Education systems:
Scientific Research:
Entrepreneurship:
Vocational and technical education:
The theme of internationalization has been first introduced and consolidated into the Palestinian Higher Education system through the Tempus Programme and currently through Erasmus+. Though the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) does not have a national strategy on internationalization, they have introduced a new law on mobility.
The Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission’s head is a member of the HERE Palestine team. One of the notable achievements is drafting a law that for the first time accredits joint master programs and accredits student mobility studies in Europe and elsewhere. This new law has significantly contributed to the increase of the mobility of students, staff, researchers and experts in addition to signing a number of joint agreements with universities from Europe and beyond.
The Palestinian HEIs have been involved in Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility projects since 2015 with more than 2000 reported mobilities (outgoing and incoming) for students and staff.
A number of Tempus and Erasmus+ programmes have focused on curriculum development and new and innovative Master degrees programmes which respond to market needs.
Between 2008 and 2013, 21 Tempus projects were funded by the EU Tempus IV programme involving 11 Palestinian HEIs and 9 partners from the private sector, and 22 Erasmus+ Capacity Building for Higher Education (CBHE) projects were selected from 2015 until 2018.
List of CBHE projects in Palestine:
|
Project# |
Project title |
Year |
Website |
|
561966-EPP-1-2015-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Develop Business and Economic Research Centers Capacity at Palestinian Higher Education Institutions |
2015 |
|
|
561818-EPP-1-2015-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Master in Health Informatics |
2015 |
|
|
561776-EPP-1-2015-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Development of Health Informatics integrated curricula in Computing and Health-oriented undergraduate degrees |
2015 |
http://sites.birzeit.edu/hicure/
|
|
561748-EPP-1-2015-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
The Mediterranean Public HEALTH Alliance |
2015 |
|
|
561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Modernization of teaching methodologies in higher education: EU experience for Jordan and Palestinian territory |
2015 |
|
|
561651-EPP-1-2015-1-IT-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
A bottom-up approach for opening up education in South-Mediterranean countries |
2015 |
|
|
561670-EPP-1-2015-1-UK-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Raising the Quality of Teacher Education Programmes in Palestine |
2015 |
|
|
574131-EPP-1-2016-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Boosting Innovation in Curricula Development of IT Programs in Palestine |
2016 |
|
|
574063-EPP-1-2016-1-IT-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Pathway in Forensic Computing |
2016 |
|
|
573700-EPP-1-2016-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Research Output Management through Open Access Institutional Repositories in Palestinian Higher Education |
2016 |
|
|
573738-EPP-1-2016-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-SP |
Transforming Assessment Practices in Large Enrollment First Year Education |
2016 |
|
|
573684-EPP-1-2016-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Improving Governance Practices and Palestinian Higher Education Institution |
2016 |
|
|
585772-EPP-1-2017-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Virtual Reality as an innovative and immersive learning tools for HEIs in Palestine |
2017 |
|
|
585781-EPP-1-2017-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
e-Academy to support Smart Cities Operations in Palestine |
2017 |
|
|
586203-EPP-1-2017-1-DE-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Fostering Entrepreneurship in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math |
2017 |
|
|
586301-EPP-1-2017-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Pathway in Enterprise Systems Engineering |
2017 |
|
|
586403-EPP-1-2017-1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Increasing the Conformance of Academia towards Rehabilitation Engineering |
2017 |
|
|
598405-EPP-1-2018-1-PSEPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Teaching English as Foreign Language in Palestinian HEIs: An e- Learning Initiative that Bridges Educational and Socio-Political Gaps |
2018 |
|
|
598480-EPP-1-2018-1-PSEPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Innovations in Water Education Programs: Enhancing Water Security and Socio-economic Development in the Eastern Mediterranean under Climate Change |
2018 |
|
|
598665-EPP-1-2018-1-PSEPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Development of TVET Pedagogical Competences and Qualification in Palestinian Universities |
2018 |
|
|
598787-EPP-1-2018-1-PSEPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
Strengthening of National Research Capacity on Policy, Conflict Resolution, and Reconciliation |
2018 |
|
|
598750-EPP-1-2018-1-DEEPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
INTERNATION MASTER OF SCIENCE ON CYBER PHYSICALSYSTEMS |
2018 |
|
Other relevant projects that have been financed by other donors and partners beyond the EU:
UNESCO initiatives:
World Bank initiatives:
Two-day workshop on Improving financial management of HE system in Palestine.
Beneficiary Institution: An-Najah National University
Date: 24-25 January 2018
Location: Nablus, Palestine
Expert: Thomas A. H. Schöck
Type: National Workshop
Outcomes:
Internationalization of Palestinian Universities in the context of learning, teaching and research
Expert: Dr. Tony Mahon
Beneficiary Institution: The Islamic University of Gaza
Location: Gaza
Date: 12-13 February, 2018
Type: National workshop
Outcomes:
Implementing e-Learning Strategies to Enhance Teaching and Learning
Beneficiary Institution: Palestine Polytechnic University
Expert: Prof. Melita Kovacevic
Location: Hebron- West Bank
Date: 23-24 Jan, 2019
Type: Two-day educational workshop
Outcomes:
HERE link in NEO website: http://erasmusplus.ps/page-579-en.html
Ministry of Education and Higher Education: http://www.mohe.pna.ps/
Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission (AQAC): http://www.aqac.mohe.gov.ps/en/