Bulletin: Birzeit U. Highlights Horrific Health Conditions in Gaza; Saudi Arabia Opens Its First College of Arts
An Open Call for Women and Girls in Science
In our new bulletin, Al-Fanar Media brings you our most prominent stories and news on higher education in the Arab world.
On Sunday, February 11, the world observed the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Empowering women, youth and girls is a major focus of Al-Fanar Media’s work policy. We aim to achieve this by providing vetted information and inspiring role models to help our readers make sound decisions to lead their professional, academic and educational lives.
Over the past years, we have published dozens of stories, news, interviews, and scholarships dedicated to women and girls.
Today, in light of the many tensions and conflicts in the Arab region and other challenges in the world, we urge you to help us spread optimism and bright spots. Share with us your success stories, in science, academia, research and life.
We are happy to share your stories, in the hope that the light of your inspiration will help others see a way out of the darkness that looms over the world today.
Mohammad El-Hawary
Al-Fanar Media editor-in-chief
From the Region:
Birzeit U. Highlights Horrific Public Health Conditions in Gaza
Palestine’s Birzeit University is calling attention to a professor’s article that sheds light on the horrific public health conditions in Gaza and calls for an immediate halt to Israel’s war the Gaza Strip as a precondition for implementing measures to preserve Gazans’ lives and health.
“One of the most significant effects of the occupation war on public health in Gaza is the large increase in the number of deaths caused by the war directly (bombing, shooting, etc.) and indirectly, caused by infectious and non-communicable diseases and lack of health care as a result of the destruction of the health system,” the professor, Abdullatif Husseini, director of the university’s Institute of Community and Public Health, wrote in an article published on the university’s website.
In the article, titled “On the Edge of the Abyss: War and Public Health in Gaza”, Husseini points to multiple problems, including a lack of health care for mothers and newborns, an increase in the number of miscarriages and stillbirths. He predicts there will be a surge in infectious diseases, and more frequent and intense epidemic outbreaks.
He lists a series of priority actions to be taken after the withdrawal of the occupation army. They include providing clean water suitable for drinking and human use; allowing food and medicines to enter the territory in unrestricted quantities; allowing the free movement of Gazans who are wounded or sick to seek care in Jerusalem and the West Bank; and providing shelter and restoring schools.
Saudi Arabia Launches Its First College of Arts, in Riyadh
In a strategic partnership with King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has inaugurated the university’s College of Arts, marking the first Saudi institution dedicated to arts education in the kingdom.
At the opening ceremony on Sunday, Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez, the deputy minister of culture, said the college represented a significant step in advancing higher cultural education in Saudi Arabia. It will have a profound impact on national cultural development and will establish an academic path crucial for creative talents and the cultural field at large, he said.
The Ministry of Culture has “worked tirelessly with the education and training ecosystem to develop programmes and projects to build cultural capacities across different learning stages, from early education to supporting professionals in the workforce,” Fayed said.
Egyptian Urologist Wins Top Award in Saudi-Sponsored Research Competition
A urologist at Egypt’s Mansoura University has won the top leadership and innovation award in a scientific research competition supported by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Muhammad bin Fahd University, Al-Shorouk newspaper reported.
Professor Mohamed Ahmed Ghoneim, founder of the Urology and Nephrology Centre at Mansoura University, was honoured for research on using stem cells to treat diabetes. The Saudi institution launched the competition last year in cooperation with the Association of Arab Universities with the aim of enhancing the role of Arab universities in scientific production and participation in research.
Sherif Khater, president of Mansoura University, congratulated Professor Ghoneim, calling the award a tribute to a distinguished research record. Ghoneim “worked to build the knowledge society that we seek, to be at the forefront,” Khater said.
U. Jordan Wins Accreditation to Issue Certificates in Cybersecurity
On Sunday, the University of Jordan announced that it has received accreditation from EC-Council, the world’s largest cybersecurity technical certification body, for a new training academy that will issue technical certificates in cybersecurity. The academy is part of the university’s King Abdullah II School of Information Technology’s efforts to empower students and enhance their skills.
In a statement, the university said the academy will provide students, teachers, and graduates with access to the latest resources in the field of cybersecurity and opportunities participate in global events and competitions and take part in virtual laboratories, among other benefits. The accreditation also comes within the framework of the school’s strategic plan to connect students with the labour market.
U. of Dubai Symposium Focuses on Education and Research Prospects
The University of Dubai organised a symposium on education and scientific research prospects, attended by over 60 of its academic staff members.
According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Eesa Al Bastaki, the university’s president, spoke about the importance of education and integrating students into the educational process, and the use of modern technological tools in developing education. Al Bastaki called for enhancing education outcomes and focusing on innovation to serve the economy of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. In the symposium, representatives of several of the university’s colleges presented examples of the modern teaching methods they have adopted.
From Al-Fanar Media:
Arab Scientists Discuss How to Reduce Arab Brain Drain
In the latest Al-Fanar Media panel discussion, three Arab scientists discussed how to reduce the “Arab brain drain.” Mohammad El-Hawary, Al-Fanar Media’s editor-in-chief, moderated the Zoom-based conversation, which was held on 29 January and was broadcast live on Al Fanar Media’s social media platforms. You can watch a replay of the discussion (in Arabic) on Facebook. The session, called “Arab Brain Drain: A Crisis from Within,” came in line with efforts by the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organisation to counter the phenomenon by creating the ALECSO Network for Arab Migrant Minds in the Fields of Food Security, Water, Environment and Health. Read more in this article.
Tips and Resources:
Tools for Detecting AI-Assisted Writing and Research
Many smart tools that university faculty members can use for detecting AI-assisted writing and research are on the market. Al-Fanar Media took a look at some of them to see how they work. Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, an increasing number of students have been turning to artificial intelligence-powered tools to write or assist them in writing university assignments. Read more in this article.
Opinion:
Focus on Critical Thinking Skills to Help Meet AI’s Challenge to Future Jobs
If confronting the global skills gap depends on skilling, upskilling, and reskilling, then we can say that it is correct to rely, in the first place, on pre-skilling in universities and schools starting from the sixth year (ten-year-old students). Read more in this essay by Salah Khalil, chief executive of Macat International and a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the Alexandria Trust. Al-Fanar Media is one of the projects of the Alexandria Trust.
Podcast:
Al-Fanar Media Podcast: ‘Indispensable Sites for University Students’
Al-Fanar Media Podcast posts a new episode every Sunday in which our correspondents across the Arab world tackle various issues of higher education. In one recent episode, we suggested a number of websites where new university students can find resources to help them adjust to and thrive in their new academic setting. You can listen to this episode, and others in the series, on SoundCloud, Spotify, or YouTube.
Culture:
Tutankhamun Comes to Life at Grand Egyptian Museum
In the 2006 film “Night at the Museum”, statues come to life every evening until sunrise. Thanks to artificial intelligence, you can have a similar experience of seeing Tutankhamun come to life in an interactive exhibition at the Grand Egyptian Museum. “Tutankhamun: the Immersive Exhibition” allows visitors to learn about the origins and life of the Golden Pharaoh, who has long fascinated Egyptologists and lovers of ancient Egyptian civilization. Explore 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.
