General Information
|
General Information |
The
higher education sector is composed of eight universities and a Polytechnic (which grant
Bachelor’s degree and higher), and 16 community colleges (which offer 2-year
diplomas, generally in technical and vocational fields). The universities are comprised of
the following main faculties: arts, sciences, commerce and economics, engineering,
agriculture, law, pharmacy, medicine, medical professions, nursing, education and hotel
management.
Universities:
The
universities are young; all were established during the seventies. Student enrollment for
1999/2000 puts the total figure at about 60,000 students, practically all of whom are
undergraduates. Enrollment in graduate programs (which offer Master’s degrees and
higher) total 2386 student
These
institutions are distributed geographically as follows: two in Gaza, AL- Azhar and
Islamic; and six in the West Bank; An-Najah in Nablus; Birzeit University near Ramallah;
Bethlehem university in Beithlehem; Hebron and the Polytechnic in Hebron; AL-Quds
University in Jerusalem; and Al-Quds open university with several centers in Gaza and the
West Bank.
The sector of
Higher Education was managed by the Council of Higher Education from 1978-1994. However, with the establishment of
the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in 1994, the management responsibility for
community colleges was transferred from the Council to the Ministry’s Directorate of
Technical Education and Community Colleges. In
mid-1996, with the setting-up of the Ministry of Higher Education, the entire sector of
post-secondary education came under its responsibility. On the other hand, as
non-governmental organizations, individual universities are administered, generally, by a
Board of Trustees (as the main policy making body), and by a President (as the main
executive responsible for day-to-day management).
Post -secondary
technical education is offered by community colleges, which aim at meeting the development
of middle level human resources. Study
duration is 2 years leading to diploma in vocational, technical or academic qualification.
There are 16 community colleges in the West Bank and Gaza, five of which are
“governmental colleges“. The total number of community college students is
5,286, distributed among 44 disciplines.
Community colleges may be classified under three categories:
- Technical Community Colleges: offer courses aimed at preparing technicians;
- Academic Community Colleges: offer courses aimed at preparing
teachers
training;
- Hybrid Community Colleges: combine both categories.
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