Prof. Nasser Ismail Farahat, the President of the Islamic University of Gaza, had the honor of receiving a high-level delegation from the European Commission during their visit to Gaza. The delegation was led by Mr. Ibrahim Laafia, Head of Cooperation, and included Mr. Odoardo Como, Head of Macroeconomic Support and Social Development Operations, and Mr. Jakob Arts, Director of the Education Program. They were accompanied by Mr. Ayman Ftiha, Director of the European Union Office in Gaza, Dr. Abdelkarim Daraghmeh, Director of the Erasmus Plus Office in Palestine, and Dr. Iyad Abu Samra, Director of Accreditation and Quality at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
During the visit, Prof. Farahat warmly welcomed the delegation and highlighted the Islamic University’s commitment to enhancing the scientific, cultural, and civilizational levels. He emphasized the university’s dedication to keeping up with modern trends in higher education and technological development, encouraging scientific research, and contributing to building generations and developing society.
The delegation expressed their pleasure at being present in this great institution and acknowledged the university’s achievements, especially in areas of interest to the European Union. They encouraged further cooperation and collaboration with the Islamic University to achieve common goals and objectives.
Dr. Daraghmeh expressed his gratitude to the Islamic University for their warm welcome and happiness for visiting the university for the first time. He also mentioned that the Erasmus Plus Office is ready to provide necessary assistance to ensure the progress of Palestinian universities in various aspects of the Erasmus Plus program. He encouraged the submission of project proposals in the fields of education, vocational training, and youth development.
The meeting also included a presentation by Ms. Wala Safi, the International Exchange Projects Coordinator at IUG, on the most important facts and achievements of the university, its academic centers, and programs. She spoke about the university’s international dimension and its participation in international projects, resulting in partnerships with over 150 international, regional, and local universities.
Moreover, Dr. Sadeq Abdel-Aal, Director of the REACH project, presented a brief overview of the project to enhance remote job opportunities for Palestinian university graduates. The delegation acknowledged the importance and quality of the project and its alignment with the European Union’s modern directives to encourage remote work. The discussion also touched upon the international exchange projects implemented by the university, and students’ experiences were heard to discuss the challenges and benefits of participation.
During their visit to the university, the delegation toured the university museum to learn about the most important achievements and contributions of the Islamic University in academic and research fields, as well as receiving various awards. At the end of the visit, the delegation was honored.
In addition, a special meeting was held during the delegation’s visit to Gaza to discuss international exchange projects with the presence of Dr. Abdul Karim Daraghmeh, Mr. Jacob Arts, and Odoardo Como, along with the students and staff of Palestinian universities who participated in international credit mobilities. The participants highlighted the importance of exchange programs and discussed the major challenges faced by participants.
It is worth mentioning that, the Islamic University has secured funding for three international projects under the Erasmus Plus program as a grant holder and participated in 11 other projects as a partner. Additionally, the university has facilitated around 300 international exchange opportunities for students and staff through 65 projects.
The visit was a great success and highlighted the important role that the Islamic University of Gaza plays in promoting international cooperation and academic excellence.