Palestine Academy of Science and Technology participated in the first meeting of the donors and International partners for the higher education sector, which was held by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Aimed to review the reality of higher education in Palestine in terms of the challenges, achievements and development directions of the Ministry, as well as ways to enhance cooperation between the Ministry and partners. 

In the presence and participation of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific research. Prof. Mahmoud Abu Mwais, Deputy Minister Basri Saleh, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Planning and Aid Coordination at Prime Minister’s Office - Palestine Estephan Salameh , Head of the UNESCO Office in Ramallah, Palestine Noha Abdul-Aziz Bawazir  , and president of the National TVET Commission in Palestine Dr. Ziad Jweiles. In addition to a crowd of international partners, several academics, general managers, and heads of units in the ministry of higher education. 

Several important topics were raised, including the need to modernize the higher education system and make it more oriented towards quality assurance and labor market needs:

• Ensure freedom of movement for Palestinian academics and students and remove restrictions on the arrival of academics and students from abroad at Palestinian higher education institutions.
• Strengthening partnerships between the Palestinian government and international partners; contributing to enhanced support for the Palestinian higher education sector.
• Aligning external support with national priorities associated with the higher education and scientific research sector in full coordination with the ministry and higher education institutions 
• Continuation of UNESCO support to the ministry in the implementation of the National strategy for higher education for 2022-2023; to ensure the development of this sector, strengthening the follow-up and evaluation system will ensure a robust system of concrete indicators that can help measure progress against the goals set out in the higher education sector strategy as well as Agenda 2030 ".
• To promote scientific research, support vocational and technical education, encourage pioneering initiatives aimed at improving higher education services, optimize the investment of cooperation agreements in higher education and scientific research with countries, also increase opportunities to benefit from international and regional programs and projects.
• Strengthen the governance of the higher education system and improve educational outputs by updating and abolishing several academic programs, integrating overlapping and converging disciplines, and encouraging the opening of modern disciplines; in addition, developing study plans in partnership with the labor market.

Source in arabic: :  https://bit.ly/3RP0g3w