Birzeit University has long played a leading role in the development of Information Technology in Palestine with many of its activities held as models by other universities and institutions. The Birzeit Information Technology (BIT) Unit, established in 1997, is a division of the Computer Center at the University. Over the years the Computer Center has evolved significantly, offering services and support in the field of information technology to the University as well as the Palestinian community at large. BIT was established to participate in the development of an IT strategy for Birzeit University, develop programs that contribute to the development of IT within the Palestinian community, play an active role in shaping the Palestinian IT sector and build industry partnerships and alliances with other key players in the IT sector.

One of the primary functions of BIT has been the development of advanced professional training programs that aim to qualify trainees to receive international diplomas in IT. The strategy of BIT has been to adopt industry standard certifications. For example, BIT is currently the CISCO Regional Academy in Palestine; it is a certified Microsoft Academic Partner and has an advanced HP Networking workstation laboratory. BIT is also an Authorized Prometric Center Testing Center, and part of the Sylvan Testing Network, which is the world's largest provider of IT testing. BIT is authorized to conduct exams for Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, HP, Oracle, A+, Network+, and IBM, SUN Microsystems, Unix, Linux, and much more.

Further to this strategy, BIT has established strong relations with the local IT companies and draws upon their resources for trainers, expert support, and direction and cooperative programs. Likewise, BIT has developed strong teaching and technical teams within the University that consist of professors, engineers, programmers and technicians working at the various departments, centers and institutes of the University.

BIT has also initiated an Institutional Development Program targeting the public sector and non-governmental institutions. The objectives of this program are to work with targeted institutions to developing their IT capacity. The Development Program works to increase staff utilization of existing systems, analyze needs and systems requirements, develop specifications and either carry out the actual work or provide the specifications to the institutions' IT service providers to implement.

In the coming year, BIT will introduce vocational programs that target various groups ranging from beginners to IT professionals. These programs are developed so that successful graduates from one program can either apply their acquired skills professionally or move on to more advanced programs. To complement this activity, BIT is in the planning stages of developing an IT incubator program followed by a technology park within the University campus.