UDST Welcomes Eight Palestinian Students Affected By War In Gaza

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Joelyn Baluyut | The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: The University of Doha for Science and technology (UDST) opened its doors to eight Palestinian students from Al Fakhoora, a programme of Education Above All Foundation, as part of a scholarship initiative to support students whose studies were disrupted by the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

In a welcome ceremony, Dr. Salem Al Naemi, President of UDST; Fahad Al Sulaiti, CEO of Education Above All Foundation and Dr. sheikh Khaled Al Thani, Director-General of the General Directorate of Endowments, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf), greeted the Palestinian students.

Dr. Al Naemi expressed UDST's unity with the youth and the entire nation of Palestine, stressing education as an unquestionable right.

“Education is an unquestionable right, and it's imperative to ensure access to education and support students during times of crisis. We are honoured to welcome these students and provide them with the tools they need to build successful careers. We also wish to thank Education Above All Foundation and the Al Fakhoora Programme for this important initiative.”

Dr. Al Thani said,“The scholarship will significantly impact their future lives when they return to their countries and contribute to building their community through their academic achievements. Today, we welcome a number of students from beloved Palestine to join the programme under the scholarship programme in partnership with the Doha University for Science and Technology, ensuring they receive full care until their graduation and attainment of the university degree they aspire for.”

Talal Alhathal, Executive Director of Al Fakhoora, shared insights into the scholarship programme, highlighting the first batch of eight students as part of the larger goal of 100 scholarships. These students, hailing from Gaza, faced disruptions in their academic journey due to the crisis, losing documentation and hope. Alhathal explained the initiative's plan to review applications, addressing the challenges faced by students, and stressed the condition of returning to Gaza to work for 10 years after completing their education.

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“We started by bringing eight students to study at UDST in a variety of majors to complete their programme. The students are from Gaza, and have been disconnected from their schools – they lost their documentation, they lost their hopes in completing their programme, we started working with UDST and they understood their situation and have accommodated these students within the university,” he told The Peninsula.

With over 200 applications received since the scholarship applications opened 10 days ago, Alhathal outlined plans to accommodate 100 students within six months. Moreover, he also revealed that in a few days, their team in Gaza will open a physical application process where students can apply in the said scholarship programme, where they expect a bigger number of applications.

The scholarship, encompassing education, accommodation, and transportation, aims to support students in rebuilding Gaza. Alhathal mentioned ongoing discussions with international universities in Qatar for additional scholarship opportunities. Currently, the agreement is to partner with local universities in the country to accommodate the scholars.

“We firmly believe in the power of education to transform lives, and through this collaboration, we are committed to enabling these young men and women to continue their academic journeys, equipping them with the tools and knowledge necessary to build a better future for themselves and their communities.”

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