UK launches education scholarships for Palestinians

The British government Tuesday launched a programme of Higher Education Scholarships for Palestine (HESPAL) that will see up 10 academics each year from Palestinian universities complete a year’s postgraduate study in the UK.


“Through training the next generation of academic leaders, HESPAL will make a real difference to local communities in Palestine, benefit the academic community and the wider society and re-energise the economy,” Higher Education Minister David Lammy said.

HESPAL, which is being handled by the British Council under the aegis of a steering committee comprising of stakeholders and sponsors, is open to seven universities in the West Bank and three in Gaza.

Speaking at the launch, British Council director for Palestine Sandra Hamrouni said the scholarships will have a “direct role in developing the quality of higher education in Palestine, building mutual links between the people of the UK and Palestine and developing further opportunities for cross-cultural engagement.”

Although the council acts as the cultural arm of the Foreign Office, it insists that it is “a non-political organisation which operates at arm’s length from government.”

The scholarship programme focuses on particular areas of study including: finance, business, education, IT, physics, chemistry, engineering, agriculture, water management, Law and International Development.

UK universities taking part include four from London – Kings College, City, the London School of Economics and the School of Oriental and African Studies – as well as Essex, Exeter, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford Brookes, and Sussex.

One of the key fundraisers, the Palestine Britain Business Council (PBBC) said that the initiative is a “milestone in the development of higher education in Palestine.”

PBBC chair Antoine Mattar said, "It will enhance the skills, expertise and knowledge needed for all disciplines in the socio-economic environment of the communities.”
ABNA