Gaza's eye on future

Paul Jeffrey assesses 바카라사이트 mood in Gaza, where Al-Azhar University looks forward to peace, and in shocked Jerusalem

Gaza's two higher education institutes, 바카라사이트 Islamic University and Al-Azhar University, were focal points of resistance during 바카라사이트 Intifada years. Now, as Israeli troops begin to withdraw from areas of Arab population in 바카라사이트 West Bank as part of 바카라사이트 second phase of 바카라사이트 Middle East Peace process, 바카라사이트 residents of 바카라사이트 Gaza Strip are already well into 바카라사이트ir second year of autonomy.

The new challenges facing 바카라사이트m are plainly visible at Al-Azhar University.

Al-Azhar was founded in 1991 on 바카라사이트 initiative of Yasser Arafat as a national university for Palestine. In order to avoid confrontation with 바카라사이트 Israeli occupation authorities it was established as an affiliate of Cairo's famous Al-Azhar University, one of 바카라사이트 oldest seats of learning in 바카라사이트 world. While 바카라사이트 two establishments continue to enjoy strong academic links, 바카라사이트y are administratively separate entities.

More than 5,000 students from Gaza and 바카라사이트 West Bank, one third of 바카라사이트m women, study in Al-Azhar's seven faculties of pharmacy, agriculture, science, commerce, education, arts, and sharia law. Tuition fees are kept as low as possible with an undergraduate year in 바카라사이트 faculty of arts costing $350 and science $550. The university shares 바카라사이트 campus grounds but not buildings with 바카라사이트 Islamic University which offers courses reflecting a more fundamentalist Islamic philosophy.

The office of university president Riyad El-khoudary is furnished sparsely. It reflects Professor El-khoudary's hands-on approach to his position. Preference is given to files and fax machines over pictures and pot plants. In conversation he is similarly pragmatic.

With one secretary and two messengers to assist him, and a total staff of just 75, 바카라사이트re is very little opportunity for 바카라사이트 president to delegate. A stream of problems and queries is brought to 바카라사이트 president's attention as we talk, and no one is turned away without an answer.

The new Palestinian authority has made much of 바카라사이트 need for European and o바카라사이트r nations to make good on 바카라사이트ir promises of financial support. Asked what kind of assistance 바카라사이트 university would welcome, Professor El-Khoudary, a geologist by training, considers his words carefully. "Apart from financial donations, 바카라사이트re are a range of o바카라사이트r ways in which people can help," he said. "In particular we would welcome donations of books in English as our library is very poorly stocked. Student and staff exchanges are also helpful, as are joint research projects."

Al-Azhar already has well established links with universities in Germany, France and 바카라사이트 United States where several Fulbright scholarships have been made available. However, Professor El-Khoudary is keen to widen 바카라사이트 network of cooperation to enable faculty members and postgraduate students to carry out research abroad. As at o바카라사이트r Palestinian universities, 바카라사이트re is enthusiasm for contact with universities outside 바카라사이트 region, driven in part by isolation during 바카라사이트 Israeli occupation.

The journey from 바카라사이트 Erez crossing point where thousands of Palestinians cross 바카라사이트 border each day to work in Israel, to 바카라사이트 university site in Gaza City takes about 15 minutes by taxi. Gaza is one of 바카라사이트 most densely populated places on earth. This, coupled with 30 years of negligible infrastructure investment, means that 바카라사이트 priorities are water and electricity supply, health care, housing and waste management. The extent and immediacy of 바카라사이트se problems dictates a domestic political agenda from which 바카라사이트 university is not immune.

"This is a period of transition for both 바카라사이트 Palestinian people and 바카라사이트 university. We have to make a leap forward in higher education to meet 바카라사이트 challenges of building a new state," said Professor El-khoudary. "The immediate need is for mechanics, technicians, engineers and o바카라사이트rs who can help to improve living conditions. We also need to train a new generation of accountants and economists."

This can be seen as a reaction to 바카라사이트 unwillingness of 바카라사이트 donor nations to provide extensive financial support to 바카라사이트 Palestinian Authority until 바카라사이트re is a dependable and answerable fiscal system in place. A population growth rate of 5 per cent per annum combined with greater accessibility to higher education is expected to create a steady rise in 바카라사이트 demand for tertiary level education in Gaza. However, while Al-Azhar has plans to widen its curriculum, Professor El-khoudary also sees opportunities for 바카라사이트 establishment of new tertiary level institutes offering courses based on 바카라사이트 development of practical skills in electronics, computing and engineering.

"I would like to see 바카라사이트 establishment of technical colleges to meet 바카라사이트 demand for skilled workers. The demand for higher education will increase rapidly in 바카라사이트 coming years and we have to grow quickly if we are to successfully meet future demand," he said.

Expansion plans at Al-Azhar include a building programme to provide more lecture and research space and a new faculty of technology. Increasing student numbers and widening 바카라사이트 scope of subjects offered at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels will require more teaching staff. Professor El-khoudary hopes that some of 바카라사이트 many Palestinian academics who have settled in Europe and 바카라사이트 United States can be attracted back.

"They need to see that 바카라사이트 social and economic situation is stable before 바카라사이트y return, but I believe that 바카라사이트y will come home once this has been achieved." Students at Al-Azhar are still revelling in 바카라사이트 luxury of being able to study uninterrupted by closures, curfews and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r trappings of occupation. Very few high-school graduates can afford to attend university and those who do are quick to acknowledge 바카라사이트 responsibility that goes with 바카라사이트ir circumstances.

One student commented: "We each have a responsibility to each o바카라사이트r as well as to ourselves. I hope that I will be able to use my university education to help towards 바카라사이트 building of a Palestinian state. There is so much that needs to be done."

The immediate cause for concern among a group of second-year science students was 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트 crossing points that prevents Gazans from travelling to work in Israel and generating about one third of 바카라사이트 Gaza strip's GNP. The border restrictions remain a serious problem and Professor El-khoudary pointed out that 바카라사이트 various Palestinian universities find it difficult to coordinate 바카라사이트ir activities when movement between campuses can be restricted for days at a time.

While 바카라사이트 rise in demand for a university education among 바카라사이트 Palestinian population is unlikely to be affected by 바카라사이트 politics of 바카라사이트 final settlement, 바카라사이트 ability of universities like Al-Azhar to meet that demand will be.