As part of the international exchange activities, Eng. Amani Al-Maqadma, Head of the External Relations Department at the Islamic University, participated in a webinar on internationalization and sustainability in higher education under siege as part of the International Week activities at Istanbul Technical University. The webinar involved a group of academics and international relations staff at Istanbul Technical University and partner universities from Portugal, Bosnia, Morocco, Ukraine, and Malaysia.
Eng. Al-Maqadma gave a presentation on the Islamic University’s path in fulfilling international partnerships, the IUG’s effort in achieving sustainability, and the most important obstacles facing higher education in the Gaza Strip that hinder both sustainability and active participation in the transfer of knowledge. She clarified that such obstacles have resulted from the siege and the continuous restrictions that the Israeli occupation has imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Eng. Al-Maqadma pointed out that the international community, which suffered from movement difficulty and resorted to internet visual means of communication during the Corona pandemic, has been in the exact position of the natural work environment at the Islamic University regarding international cooperation activities since 2008. That was due to the closure of the crossings, the difficulty of obtaining a visa, and other procedures and complications related to national and international travel.
The participants expressed their admiration for the IUG’s experience in international work, showed their sympathy with the Palestinian people, and underlined the importance of the webinar to introduce the difficulties and challenges that none would have imagined exist in an academic context.