The Ministry of Higher Education, the Erasmus+ National Office in Palestine, the Office of the European Union Representative, representatives of EU Member States, and the implementing partners celebrated today the launch of the awarded projects.

In this year’s round, Palestine won four projects in the field of Capacity Building in Higher Education and came at the top of its region with the highest number of awarded projects among participating countries. Palestine submitted high-quality proposals and was among the top-ranking countries, second only to Ukraine and Jordan in terms of the number of applications.

These projects align closely with both European Union objectives and Palestine's own priorities, focusing on capacity building in critical areas such as scientific research, energy, agriculture, green technologies, and social and psychological support services. Palestinian universities and private sector entities together with European, African, Lebanese, and Emirati partners will collectively implement these projects over a span of three years.

In the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) two projects were awarded to Palestine. Private sector organizations and VET providers from Palestine, Jordan, and Europe will implement these projects, with a specific focus on enhancing digital skills within the shoe and leather industry, as well as addressing crucial aspects of food law within the VET training sector.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Higher Education Professor Mahmoud Abu Muweis stressed Palestine’s openness to the world and to the exchange of knowledge and good practice within the region and with the European academic institutions. The Minister considered this achievement a sign of the quality and attractiveness of the education system and an opportunity to build sustainable partnerships with peer institutions in Africa and Europe.

From his side, the European Union Representative Alexandre Stutzman said: ‘’These achievements are a clear demonstration of the European Union's strong commitment to modernizing higher education services and forging robust connections with the private sector in Palestine. We acknowledge the hard work and commitment of all parties involved in the preparation, and the networking effort without which these accomplishments would not have been possible.’’

The Director of the Erasmus+ National Office Prof. Abdelkarim Abdelraziq applauded the efforts of all partners and the high level of cooperation and commitment shown during the preparation of the projects so that they align well with the country’s needs and sector priorities.