How do we support the continuation of higher education in Palestine?

Zahid Pranjol (University of Sussex) and Aleks Palanac (University of Leicester)

The UN has described the targeting of educational establishments in Gaza as ‘scholasticide’: 658,000 students currently have no access to full time education, and 51 university buildings have been destroyed and a further 57 damaged, with the last remaining higher education institution in the territory, Israa University, demolished in January last year. As a result, a generation of students has had its education–and resultant careers–significantly delayed or destroyed. 

How can UK universities help them to continue their education? This session will explore some of the current initiatives that are in place, and will discuss what more could or should be done. This includes the question of whether it is more appropriate to help academics and students by offering scholarships in the UK, or to heed the unprecedented call of the Emergency Committee of Universities in Gaza from May 2024 to provide support and solidarity to the institutions themselves as they struggle to survive in the face of systematic attempts to erase them or provide resources and distance-learning for those still in Gaza. It will also explore the potential for adopting various advocacy and campaigning initiatives within our universities, such as the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) 

The session leads will provide the context of the current situation in Palestine, before outlining some of the work they have been involved in. The session will finish by opening up the room for participants to discuss the different options, opportunities, needs and challenges, and how the UK academic community can best support those seeking to continue their education in Palestine.

• Zahid Pranjol (University of Sussex) is Associate Dean (Education & Students) for the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine at the University of Sussex, and has been instrumental in forging a partnership with the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza, providing distance teaching and online resources to first, second and third year medical students, as well as advocating for other medical schools to do the same. 

• Aleks Palanac (University of Leicester) leads the Sanctuary Seekers’ Unit, having originally taught English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in community settings in 2004. She moved on to teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP), and identified a need for EAP among refugee background students wishing to access university. She has since taken a lead role in developing and implementing widening participation opportunities for them through such initiatives as the RefugEAP Programme and the RefugEAP Network.