New on campus this academic year is the Palestine and Arabic Studies Program, which offers international students an opportunity to study at Birzeit for a semester or throughout the entire year. The University's International Summer Program, now looking forward to its tenth year, has successfully offered six-week summer sessions for international students combining intensive study of Arabic, sociology and literature courses, and a program of extracurricular activities and field trips.

PAS students on campus numbered thirty in the first semester and twenty-two in the second semester, reports PAS coordinator Hilary Rentisi. Students came to Birzeit from a wide range of countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Britian, Morocco, Venezuela, Sweden, Canada and Puerto Rico. During the second semester, a student exchange with Amsterdam University placed two Birzeit students in Amsterdam, while two Dutch students were welcomed to Birzeit.

The study of Arabic is at the center of the PAS curriculum, with courses in both colloquial and standard Arabic, in small classes tailored to the students' level as assessed in placement exams. Courses in Palestinian society and literature are also offered, as is a course in Palestinian Women in Society. Several graduate students are also working on special topics through research tutorials.

"Students adjust very well," commented Hilary Rentisi, "even those who arrived during the curfew used the time to do a lot of reading. We offer orientation programs and do our best to meet students needs and questions. Many of the female students are living in the dormitory and enjoy getting to know Birzeit students. In our first year, we are not completely institutionalized, but we are pleased students are enjoying PAS and benefitting academically and culturally."