Birzeit University: A Bastion of Palestinian Education, Resilience, and Identity

Birzeit University, a distinguished Palestinian institution, stands as a testament to the enduring power of education, resilience, and cultural identity. From its humble beginnings as a small school for girls in 1924 to its current status as a leading university in the West Bank, Birzeit has played a pivotal role in shaping Palestinian society. This article explores the history, location, academic offerings, and unique challenges faced by Birzeit University, highlighting its significance as a symbol of steadfastness amidst ongoing adversity.

A Historical Overview: From Humble Beginnings to Academic Excellence

The Founding and Early Years

Founded in 1924 by Nabiha Nasir (1891-1951) as an elementary school for girls, Birzeit University emerged as one of the first modern schools in Palestine. The school, initially named Birzeit School for Girls, was located in the village of Birzeit and catered to the educational needs of girls from the surrounding areas. In 1930, it broadened its scope to become a co-educational secondary school, and in 1932, it was renamed Birzeit Higher School. The institution continued to evolve, and in 1942, it was renamed Birzeit College.

Expansion and University Status

In 1953, Birzeit College incorporated a freshman higher education class, followed by a sophomore class in 1961. A significant milestone was reached in 1972 when the college launched a four-year program, leading to bachelor's degrees in arts and sciences. This marked a turning point, and in 1975, the institution officially became Birzeit University, solidifying its position as a leading center for higher education in Palestine. The university celebrated its first graduating class in 1976, the same year when it joined the Association of Arab Universities, and it joined the International Association of Universities in 1977.

Academic and Urban Resurgence

By the end of the 1970s and well through the 1980s, Birzeit University experienced an academic and urban resurgence. During this period, the university launched even more academic programs, constructed faculties and the main library, and continued its community outreach tradition by building its numerous institutes and centers.

Entering the Third Millennium

Birzeit University entered the third millennium relying confidently on a legacy of academic distinction and a well-designed university campus, winning several local and international awards. The university, through its eight faculties (Arts; Science; Business and Economics; Law and Public Administration; Engineering and Technology; Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Professions; Education; and Graduate Studies), provides a wealth of academic programs that end in bachelor’s degrees, such as the major/minor programs. These faculties, in addition to the Graduate Studies faculty, offer a number of postgraduate programs that lead to master’s degrees. The university also offers one Ph.D. program in social sciences.

Key Developments

2000: The university opened the Institute of Environmental and Water Studies and the Institute of Graduate Studies (Aziz Shaheen Building). Saba Arafat assumed the presidency of the Board of Trustees.
2004: Nabil Kassis took over the presidency of the university to succeed Hanna Nasir. The Faculty of Law and Public Administration was founded with the support of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
2006: Hanna Nasir was elected chairman of the Board of Trustees.
2007: The Faculty of Arts (Aziz Shaheen Building) was opened, along with the Faculty of Nursing, Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.
2016: The foundation stone for the Palestine-India Techno Park was laid, to be built on 20 dunums of Birzeit University land.
2018: The university won the prestigious Yasser Arafat Achievement Award.
2020: As the coronavirus overtook the world, the university proactively joined the remote learning experience, investing $250,000 into the improvement of its technical capabilities and internet servers.

Location and Campus

Geographic Setting

Birzeit University is located on the outskirts of the town of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, in the West Bank. The original campus was centered around the historic Nasir family home, built at the end of the Ottoman Empire, and nearby buildings that initially housed the elementary school founded in 1924. The university's new campus is located atop a hill, with a view on the rolling hills and the Mediterranean Sea.

Impact of Location

The relocation of Birzeit University's campus to the village outskirts has led to increased construction of apartment buildings to accommodate students facing mobility restrictions in the West Bank. Israeli-imposed checkpoints and travel restrictions limit daily commuting and require many students to live near campus. The Right to Education Campaign, based at the university, highlights these mobility and access challenges as part of its advocacy for Palestinian students’ right to higher education. This development has shifted land use from agriculture to housing, altering the village's built environment and economy.

Academic Programs and Structure

Faculties and Degrees

Birzeit University offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees through its nine faculties:

Arts
Science
Business and Economics
Education
Engineering and Technology
Law and Public Administration
Nursing, Pharmacy and Health Professions
Graduate Studies and Research
Art, Music and Design

These faculties offer 76 programs leading to bachelor's degrees and 39 postgraduate programs leading to master's degrees. The university also offers three Ph.D. programs.

Language of Instruction

The official language of instruction is Arabic, but many courses are taught in English.

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Semester System

Birzeit University follows a semester system consisting of two primary semesters (Autumn and Spring), each lasting four months, and two shorter summer sessions of around two months each.

Governance and Administration

Birzeit University is governed by an autonomous board of trustees composed of educators and professionals from the Palestinian community. This board appoints the university president and confirms the appointment of vice presidents and deans based on the president’s recommendation.

Challenges and Resilience

Israeli Occupation and Closures

Birzeit University has historically been the target of Israeli harassment, closure, and bureaucratic restrictions. The Israeli occupation regime closed the university fifteen times from 1979 to 1992. During a prolonged period of closure for all schools of higher education in Palestine from 1988 to 1992, the university continued to operate underground with small study groups outside the campus. University president Hanna Nasir was deported by Israel in 1974.

Maintaining Education Under Difficult Circumstances

During the Second Intifada (2000-2005), Israeli forces blocked roads to Birzeit University, preventing students and faculty from accessing the campus. The university responded with organized protests, lectures near military checkpoints, and an international campaign advocating for the right to education. The university utilized its electronic systems to maintain remote instruction, ensuring continuity of education during periods of siege and restricted access.

Birzeit's Prisoners Committee

Birzeit's Prisoners Committee was created in 1980. It is an informal group from the university dedicated to assisting students and staff who faced harassment from Israeli military authorities. The aim of the committee was to document violations, contact lawyers, and raise awareness while providing a safe support for all students. These documents recorded violation cases, like torture, arrest and imprisonments without trial. The records were being shared with international and local human right groups to show what difficulties the Birzeit members face. A powerful move of the committee's work called "the art of waiting." Students, teachers and international volunteers, waited for hours outside the Ramallah Military Headquarters to receive news about students and staff who had been arrested. International volunteers waited outside so that the risk was low for the Palestinian members. This movement got both local and international support and loyalty.

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2024 Gaza War

In 2024, amid the Gaza war, Birzeit University made an appeal to the global academic world against the war, which it characterized as genocide. The university highlighted the importance of human rights and the right to have education during conflict. In 2024, more than 140 Palestinian students across the West Bank have been arrested. As a response, Birzeit University called on international universities and scholars to take action in support of Palestinian students. International organizations have responded by taking action to support the Palestinian students. One of the organizations is the Durham Palestinian Education Trust (DPET), a nonprofit organization based in the UK that offers scholarships to Palestinian students so they can attend Durham University. Despite the Gaza war, in 2024 the DPET continued to offer fully financed studentships. DPET helps the students with counseling and legal advice. Students supported by DPET have earned degrees in engineering, peacebuilding, and education in recent years.The goal of these scholarships is to help young Palestinians in getting an education, creating skills, and then returning to Palestine to help their communities.

Community Engagement and Outreach

Voluntary Work Program

Since the start of Birzeit University, the Voluntary Work Program has been an important factor. The program requires students to fulfill 120 hours of community service as a part of their graduation requirement. This initiative permits students to engage with and explore Palestinian society through practical, educational activities. Public health, education, protecting culture, and social integration projects are examples of volunteer programs. Also, students take part in recycling programs, restoring landscapes projects, and agricultural work. To prepare students, the university's Office of Student Affairs organizes sessions and workshops in topics like community service and civil protection.

Birzeit University Museum

The Birzeit University Museum, which opened in 2005, is a significant location for exhibitions, workshops, and talks in the Palestinian cultural landscape. Focused as an art space at the core of the university, it fosters the creation and practice of contemporary arts within the university community and broader Palestinian society, utilizing a multidisciplinary and experimental approach. The museum critically addresses its colonial legacies by actively challenging traditional museological practices. The university's Ethnographic and Art Museum is a permanent museum with two main collections: the Palestinian Costumes and the Tawfiq Canaan Amulet Collection.

The Tawfiq Canaan Collection of Palestinian Amulets

The Tawfiq Canaan Collection of Palestinian Amulets, now based in Birzeit University, represents a vital intersection of cultural heritage, academic preservation, and political context. Comprising a wide range of amulets and talismans reflecting the religious and social diversity of Palestinian society, the collection documents folk practices related to healing, protection, and belief. In 1955, the collection was donated to Birzeit University by Canaan's daughters. The collection has faced challenges related to preservation and display, leading to the university to engage in institutional efforts to safeguard it. In 1998, the collection was publicly exhibited at the university in a show titled Ya Kafi Ya Shafi (Oh Protector, Oh Healer), which helped raise awareness of its cultural and historical significance. To challenge static representations of culture, a more recent exhibition "Beyond Aesthetics" in the Birzeit Museum in June 2011 served to re-contextualize Palestinian cultural objects, including the Amulet collection, emphasizing their deeper societal and traditional meanings beyond mere aesthetics. The museumization of Palestinian heritage serves as a means of political resistance and national identity, particularly in the context of occupation.

Suk Okaz Poetry Competition

Poetry holds a significant place in Birzeit University. One tradition is the Suk Okaz poetry competition, created since the founding of the elementary school.

Olive Harvest Volunteer Activities

In 1976, after the fatal shooting of six Palestinian citizens of Israel by the government for demonstrating against the seizure of land in the Galilee region, students at Birzeit University organized commemorative activities to remember the victims and show solidarity with Palestinian resistance. These activities were mostly organized by the student council and different student political groups, who were active in leading campus activism. One important activity was the planting of olive trees and other native plants on campus. The events involved students and teachers in large numbers and were seen as a part of the national resistance movement. In the following years, the university community kept organizing yearly olive harvest volunteer activities.

Birzeit University's Israel Studies Program

Program Overview

At Birzeit University (BZU) in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, just north of Ramallah, a growing cohort of young Palestinian students are studying for their M.A. in Israel Studies. The program’s first cohort was admitted in 2015. By the summer of 2019, nearly 30 Palestinian students will have received their degree. In the Birzeit classroom, students and faculty are, in their words, “trying to produce Palestinian knowledge of Israeli society” through deep, critical engagement with Israeli culture, politics, and society, often working with primary texts in their original Hebrew.

Program Origins and Funding

The idea for the program began informally in 2010 with conversations between Birzeit faculty members, at the behest of the University president, and the Ramallah-based Institute for Palestine Studies. After approval from the Palestinian Ministry of Education, funding was eventually secured through a partnership with the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha, an institute headed by former Palestinian member of Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) and Birzeit faculty member, Azmi Bishara. The first Birzeit students in Israel Studies matriculated in the fall of 2015.

Curriculum and Objectives

The program’s mandate is clear: to establish a Palestinian base of critical knowledge about Israel and its settler-colonial history through deep engagement with Israeli political systems, religious thought, society, and culture. The program’s current director, Dr. Munir Fakher Eldin, a historian of modern Palestine, characterized its rationale this way:

“The idea for this program came out of the certain realization that it’s absurd to be under occupation for 50 years, with over a century of conflict with Zionism, and not have any Palestinian production of academic knowledge on Israel. So the basic idea is that we need this expertise… But this idea raised lots of questions. Can you study Israel and break with Israeli mainstream knowledge production? And the answer was: yes, of course.”

The program’s curriculum is robustly interdisciplinary. All students receive intensive training in Hebrew and have the opportunity to pick from a roster of courses in such subjects as Zionist ideology and history; Judaism, Jewish history and thought; society and political systems within ‘48 Palestine; Israeli demography; Israeli political economy; Israeli culture and literature, and the list goes on.

Student Experiences

Students have described their learning experience as a process of continual surprise, particularly during thesis research. The diversity and complexity of Israeli positions on various issues exceeded prior expectations. So much of what they had learned about Israel was entirely new to them, including the influence of the ultra-orthodox Jewish population on the Israeli political and social landscape, the numerous inequalities inside the state’s Jewish populations, and the tremendous variance in political discourses. Such complexity has forced a rethinking of both the political paradigms and theoretical models on which they had previously relied.

Engagement with ‘48 Palestinian Professors and Researchers

At BZU, students have the opportunity to learn from Palestinian professors and researchers from ’48-the Palestinian terminology of choice to refer to Palestinian communities residing inside Israel as citizens. While they comprise the decided minority of the BZU faculty, their imprint on student learning is particularly striking within the Israel Studies program. The encounter with professors from ’48 was equally eye-opening.

Birzeit University as a Symbol of Sumud

Birzeit University stands as a towering symbol of sumud-steadfastness and resilience-amid the turbulent history of Palestine. At its core, Birzeit University is more than an academic institution; it is a testament to the power of education as a tool of resistance and national identity. The university’s history is deeply interwoven with Palestine’s own journey through conflict and displacement. Resilience became Birzeit’s defining characteristic through decades marked by upheavals such as the 1948 Nakba and the 1967 Israeli occupation, which brought profound disruptions. Birzeit’s resilience was matched by its vibrant role as a crucible of political expression and social activism. The university not only produced national leaders and intellectuals but served as the moral and political anchor of Palestinian society.

Centennial Reflections: A Heritage of Hope and Responsibility

The university’s centennial in 2024 was marked not by celebration but by solemn reflection amid the ongoing crises, including that in Gaza. A series of tributes and programming running from late 2024 through 2026 will focus on education, research, service, and solidarity, anchored by the “Rebuilding Hope Initiative” and Birzeit-Gaza education programs. BZU reaffirmed its mission across beyond academics, championing freedom, democracy, academic integrity, and ethical leadership. This milestone highlighted that Birzeit’s legacy is inseparable from the lived realities of ‎Palestinians, a constant wellspring of dignity and steadfastness.

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