Birzeit University Newsletter No.25, "Academic Exchange"

Birzeit University Newsletter
English edition, No. 25, published June 1994

ACADEMIC EXCHANGE

A delegation from the Delft University of Technology, consisting of J.E. Hoogenboom from the University Council, P. Althuis from the Center of International Cooperation, and B. Hendriksen visited Birzeit University on 29 and 30 November to discuss avenues of cooperation. Previously, six Birzeit engineering students spent an exciting and productive semester at Delft. The group met with engineering faculty, as well as other University officials.

Birzeit and Bergen universities signed a memorandum of intent during a visit to Birzeit of an academic delegation from Bergen. on 7 December, the two sides signed a memorandum affirming the intent of the two universities to develop academic cooperation and exchange between faculty members and student. The memorandum noted that a general agreement of cooperation may be signed after a visit of a Birzeit University delegation to the University of Bergen. During the course of a May 23-25 visit to Bergen, a University delegation, including Dr. Gabi Baramki, Dr. Riyad Amin, Dr. Lily Faidi and Dr. Abdul Salam Abdul Ghani confirmed the agreement, which was duly signed. on May 26, the delegation met with officials at the University of oslo and signed a cooperation agreement with that institution.

In May, the Committee for Women's Studies at Birzeit University welcomed Carleton University colleagues Dr. Gillian Walker and Dr. Heather Jon Maroney for a round of intensive discussions to plan a November 1994 international workshop in conjunction with the Committee's initial collaborative research project on Palestinian women in society. The visit also strengthened the cooperation agreement signed between Birzeit University and Carleton University in Canada.

On November 11, the Minister of Research and Higher Education of the French government, Monsieur Francois Fillon, headed a French delegation for a productive working meeting at Birzeit University with representatives of the Council for Higher Education and Palestinian universities. The Palestinian side briefed the French group on the current state of Palestinian higher education . Participants explored further avenues to enhance cooperation between Palestinian and French universities. over the years, Birzeit University has developed a number of links with French institutions, and is marking the tenth anniversary of its cooperation agreement with Montpellier University. Recently, Dr. Gabi Baramki, on behalf of Birzeit University, signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Aix-en-Provence.

On behalf of the University, Dr. Baramki also signed cooperation agreements with the University of Liege in Belgium and Deakin University in Australia (the latter signing is pictured left). Dr. Baramki visited Australia in october 1993 and delivered a paper on "Universal Standards and Human Rights in the Middle East" at the Australian Middle East Studies Association.

Click here for NEWSLETTER NO. 25 CONTENTS