President of Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie, Prof. Hussein Shanak, joined the 19th Conference of Arab Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research, organized by the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization ALECSO in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates.
The Palestinian delegation also included the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Amjad Barham, and the Chairman of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission, Dr. Moammar Eshtewi.
During the conference, Minister Barham addressed the significant challenges facing the Palestinian education sector, particularly in Gaza. He highlighted the destruction of educational institutions by the Israeli occupation and ongoing efforts to undermine education for the Palestinian people, emphasizing the need to continue supporting Palestinian education through both direct and indirect assistance.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Palestinian delegation held several critical meetings. These included discussions with ALECSO Director-General, Prof. Mohamed Ould Amar, focusing on enhancing support for Palestinian education relief efforts, and with the Director-General of the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mudairis, to explore strategies for improving the quality of higher education in Palestine.
Prof. Shanak stressed that the participation of Palestinian universities in such regional events fosters opportunities for collaboration with international institutions and facilitates the exchange of expertise, contributing to the advancement of the Palestinian educational sector.
The Palestinian delegation commended the recommendations issued, which emphasized the importance of flexible education, the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies, support for innovation, and the enhancement of educational quality. The delegation reiterated the necessity of collective efforts to sustain support for Palestinian education in the face of ongoing challenges.