Bulletin: Palestine Ministry Names 35 Killed in Conflict; Saudi Events Highlight Breast Cancer Awareness
Al-Fanar Media Offers New Services
In our new bulletin, Al-Fanar Media brings you our most prominent stories and news about higher education in the Arab world.
Despite the ongoing bloodshed, agony, and destruction we have witnessed since October 7, the deaths of thousands of children and women, and the narrow prospects of reaching a political solution to end the current conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, life continues.
While our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods in the conflict in Gaza, sometimes the best way to carry on is to do your best to master and improve your own work.
Perhaps that is what Al-Fanar Media was about about when it recently agreed a new partnership and cooperation strategy with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO). The agreement, outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two parties last week, seeks to boost education quality in the region and enhance Arab culture. More details are here.
We also would like to announce the launch of a new Al-Fanar Media Podcast in Arabic about higher education, scholarships, and labour market needs. You can find the link here.
Mohammad El-Hawary
Al-Fanar Media editor-in-chief
Our News:
Palestine Ministry Names 35 University Students and Staff Killed by Israeli Forces
The Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education announced on Sunday the names of 35 university students and staff members who have been killed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since October 7 as a result of Israeli aggression.
In a statement, the ministry identified those killed as students or employees of Al-Quds Open University, the University of Bethlehem, Palestine National University, Palestine Polytechnic University, Gaza University, the University of Palestine in Gaza, the Islamic University in Gaza, and Palestine Technical University–Kadoorie.
According to the ministry, the actual number of those killed is likely to be much higher, as an unknown number of bodies are still buried under rubble in the Gaza Strip and many of those that have been recovered are unidentified.
Libyan Conference to Focus on Communication Technologies in Higher Ed
The Faculty of Information at Libya’s Al-Zaytoonah University will organise a conference, on November 21 and 22 “Modern Communication Technologies and Their Role in Developing Higher Education.”
In a statement, the Libyan Ministry of Higher Education said the conference would discuss the use of modern communication technologies in universities and the relationship of these technologies to scientific research. The conference will explore the current status of these technologies in higher education and future directions. It also aims to provide a platform for exchanging experiences in this area.
University in Turkey Offers 20 Scholarships for Iraqi Students
Turkey’s Fenerbahçe University, in Istanbul, is offering 20 scholarships for Iraqi undergraduate students to obtain a bachelor’s degree, the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education has announced.
In a statement, the ministry said that applicants must be Iraqi nationals, must not be over 22 years old upon application, must have a GPA of no less than 85% for pharmacy and nursing specialists, and must be fluent in English. The application deadline is November 16. For more details, click here.
Fenerbahçe University was established in 2016 by the Fenerbahçe Sports Club’s education, culture, and health foundation. It offers education opportunities to international students and aspires to become a leading university in the world for internationalisation.
‘Pink October’: Saudi University Highlights Breast Cancer Awareness
The University of Bisha, in Saudi Arabia, has been raising awareness about breast cancer this month under the slogan “I Saw You Pink.” The campaign aligns with worldwide observances of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or “Pink October”. Participants wearing pink to call attention to the importance of prevention and screening for the disease.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the University of Bisha’s campaign aims to raise awareness among all segments of society, enhance health awareness, and disseminate knowledge that will help reduce the rise in breast cancer cases. Events have included competitions, sports events, and a forum that reviewed the latest scientific research about breast cancer detection and treatment.
HBMSU Forges Strategic Partnership with Knowledge E
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) and Knowledge E, a Dubai-based provider of scholarly content and digital resource solutions, have signed a partnership agreement to help the university achieve its commitment to lead smart learning innovation and reshape the future of education.
According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Fahad Al Saadi, the university’s vice chancellor for learners development, said, “We are pleased to forge this partnership with Knowledge E, as a significant step in HBMSU’s march towards transforming education, by enhancing content management and bringing smart learning innovation to the forefront of the education sector.” He added that HBMSU was always keen to foster strong ties with businesses in the pursuit of providing the learning solutions in alignment with the Emirates’ strategic goals.
Kamran R. Kardan, founder and chief executive officer of Knowledge E , emphasised the company’s dedication to nurturing a learning ecosystem that prioritises lifelong learning, one of the central tenets of HBMSU’s mission. “Our partnership with HBMSU is part of an innovative new chapter in education within the region,” he said.
signed a strategic partnership agreement. (Photo: WAM)
In Conflict:
Birzeit U. Letter to World: ‘No to Silence over Genocide’
Amid protests at dozens of Arab institutions denouncing Israel’s continuing air and artillery strikes on the Gaza Strip, Birzeit University has issued an open letter to universities worldwide urging them to say “no to silence over genocide”. Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti and Egyptian education groups have held vigils and other events to show their support for the Palestinian cause. Read more in this article.
Tips and Resources:
223 Arab Universities Make It into QS’s Regional Ranking for 2024
In the largest list so far, 223 Arab universities across 18 countries are compared in the 2024 edition of the QS Arab Region University Rankings, 24 universities more than last year. The classification, published by the British QS Quacquarelli company, evaluated the institutions based on 10 indicators, including global surveys of academics and employers. Egypt was the most represented country, with 36 universities. Saudi Arabia was next with 34, including the top-ranked King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Read more in this article.
Culture:
Writers and Artists Say Awards Boost Them and Their Craft
The Arab world has many prestigious awards for writers, filmmakers and other creative artists. These include the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF), the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, and the Sawiris Cultural Award. Prize winners and other artists tell Al-Fanar Media they welcome these awards not only for the potential rewards to their own careers, but also for the visibility they bring to their crafts and the creativity they inspire. Read more in this article.
Opinion:
Muatasim Alkubaisy’s Sculptures Unravel Legacies of War in Iraq
Inspired by Mesopotamian civilisation, the sculptor Muatasim Alkubaisy creates artworks that reconstruct the calamities that his home country of Iraq and other Arab states have endured in modern times. Alkubaisy, who teaches at the University of Sharjah’s College of Fine Arts and Design and maintains a gallery in downtown Sharjah, says he draws on Mesopotamian themes to create sculptures with space for “fear, chaos and hope” all at once. “I want to convey a message and tell a story which, in my opinion, other means of communication have failed to deliver,” he says. Read more in this article.
Scholarships
Al-Fanar Media maintains a database of quality scholarships available to Arab students, which we continuously update. To stay up to date on the latest scholarships available in international universities, check the Scholarships section here, and watch for updated feedback on free learning opportunities in our News and Reports section, here.
