Doha: Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) convened international leaders in education, international diplomacy, and development, as well as senior figures from Palestinian academia, for the Conference on Rebuilding Higher Education in Gaza.
According to Qatar News Agency, the event was organized in collaboration with Education Above All (EAA), the Islamic University of Gaza, University of Fort Hare, University of Johannesburg, and University of Glasgow. It served as a follow-up to a previous meeting held in Glasgow in December 2024, focusing on the urgent need to reconstruct Gaza's higher education sector following devastating conflict.
HE President of the United Nations General Assembly 66th Session and former UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser initiated the conference with a keynote address. His speech emphasized Qatar's commitment to education on both national and international levels and encouraged participants to consider the global significance of rebuilding academic institutions, especially during times of conflict.
Professor Sultan Barakat from the College of Public Policy remarked on the principle that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege. He stressed that universities are essential spaces for knowledge, identity, and hope, and highlighted the importance of Palestinian higher education in all forms of reconstruction and development.
The conference was further supported by insights from President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation Professor Francisco J. Marmolejo, Deputy President of the Islamic University of Gaza Professor Nader Jawad Alnemra, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow Dr. David Duncan, and Vice Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare Professor Sakhela Buhlungu. They welcomed the attendees and emphasized the conference's significance and timely nature.
Distinguished academics from universities worldwide, including Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Leeds, University College London, Imperial College, Edinburgh, Ulster, King's College, Harvard, York, Toronto, Dublin, Bard College, Oslo, Lille, and others, participated in workshops and panel discussions. These sessions explored the immediate and long-term needs for rebuilding Gaza's higher education sector, focusing on making educational institutions more resilient and understanding their role in post-conflict rebuilding.
A plenary session on the first day provided insights into the destruction inflicted on Gaza's higher education sector. University leaders from Al Azhar University, Al Quds Open University, An-Najah University, Al Aqsa University, Birzeit University, Palestine University, Gaza University, and the Palestinian Ministry of Education shared firsthand accounts of the conflict's devastation.
The conference is part of HBKU's ongoing efforts to support Palestine's academic sector, contributing to local and international discussions and academic research.