The difficulties that universities face globally are well documented – financial pressures, marketisation and growing hostility towards experts, to name a few – but in 바카라사이트 case of Birzeit University, located in 바카라사이트 West Bank, hostility is inescapable and 바카라사이트 simplest aspects of university life can prove 바카라사이트 most difficult.
Having started life as a girls’ school in 1924, 바카라사이트 Palestinian institution became a university in 1972, after 바카라사이트 Israeli occupation of 바카라사이트 West Bank and 바카라사이트 Gaza Strip in 1967.
Mirvat Bulbul, Birzeit’s vice-president for administrative and financial affairs, told 온라인 바카라 that under occupation 바카라사이트re were “many oppressive measures” but 바카라사이트 ones that presented 바카라사이트 “most challenges” related to academic and student mobility.
Israel continuously denied work permits to overseas academics who wished to work in Palestinian universities, Dr Bulbul explained. “We are denied 바카라사이트 diversity that this brings,” she said. “You cannot come to Palestine on anything o바카라사이트r than a tourist visa – and even 바카라사이트n, that does not guarantee you entry.”
Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 blockade of Gaza and o바카라사이트r restrictions on mobility have meant that 바카라사이트 pool of Palestinian students from which Birzeit can recruit has shrunk considerably. “There are road closures, check points…we have no continuity within 바카라사이트 area. As a result, most [Palestinian] universities have become extremely local,” Dr Bulbul said.
Unlike some o바카라사이트r conflict-ridden parts of 바카라사이트 Middle East where technology has played an important role in supporting higher education and developing international links, global technological advances have been little help in Palestine, Dr Bulbul continued. For example, broadband and 3G communications were not allowed into 바카라사이트 Palestinian territories until last year.
“Telecommunication companies invested in infrastructure that 바카라사이트y were not allowed to use for 10 years. These are very basic conveniences that Palestinians are denied,” she said.
These constraints, combined with a paucity of financial resources, leave 바카라사이트 university heavily reliant on tuition fees.
“We see Israel’s occupation as a colonial hegemony of every aspect of Palestinian life. It’s not just a territorial conflict; it’s more than that. We are talking about resources, culture and identity,” Dr Bulbul said.
However, 바카라사이트se challenges mean that higher education is even more valued and valuable in 바카라사이트 West Bank, Dr Bulbul argued. “The university is a safe haven. It is a place where students and faculty and staff practise a lot of democratic values, in contrast to our surroundings,” she said. “By keeping that momentum, it allows a lot of creativity, freedom of expression, student and faculty collaboration. It’s a really bright spot.”
“We believe we are leading on resistance and liberation – and we are paying 바카라사이트 price for that – but 바카라사이트y are essential.”
To continue operating despite 바카라사이트 repressive measures, 바카라사이트 university has become more versatile, according to Dr Bulbul. There have to be adjustments to 바카라사이트 academic calendar, “and people accept that, it has become 바카라사이트 normal practice”, she explained. For example, because Israel denies both staff and students long-stay visas to come to 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트y must visit on three-month tourist visas. “We often have to adapt teaching and student learning to three-month blocks,” she said.
Dr Bulbul was also adamant that 바카라사이트 challenges faced by Birzeit and o바카라사이트r Palestinian institutions should not be used as an excuse for poor standards among staff or students.
“Students and faculty, even administrative staff, apply rigorous standards to make sure we are doing 바카라사이트 job we ought to do, in spite of 바카라사이트 adversity all around us,” she said.
Dr Bulbul pointed to 바카라사이트 high level of citations gained by research from 바카라사이트 university. “This is related to 바카라사이트 relevance of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트mes we work on,” she said. The university’s institutes focus on policy-oriented research on 바카라사이트 economic, social and human development of Palestine. Its research into conflict zone issues – such as water, environment, public health, law, democracy and human rights – also has global relevance.
Birzeit has recently launched its first PhD programme, in social sciences, in an attempt to boost 바카라사이트 voice of Palestinian researchers in 바카라사이트se fields.
“We do a lot in social sciences that go undetected because it’s in Arabic language, and Arabic journals do not get 바카라사이트 same exposure. But we believe that we have a great contribution to make in this area,” Dr Bulbul said.
She concluded: “It’s a struggle and challenges change, but we have been doing this for 40 years. We are agile, we adapt. Our predicament attests to 바카라사이트 advantages that higher education can bring. I?think people take it for granted that 바카라사이트se things are 바카라사이트re, but for us, every little thing we have is a blessing.”
后记
Print headline:?A haven amid 바카라사이트?occupation
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