Birzeit University is a Palestinian university situated in the town of Bir Zeit near Ramallah. It is widely considered the foremost third-level educational institute in the Palestinian territories and has played a significant role in Palestinian political affairs. ... A professor giving a lecture at the Helsinki University of Technology A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... Mughtaribeen Circle in downtown Ramallah Ramallah (Arabic:   رام الله)? is a Palestinian city of approximately 57,000 residents. ... The West Bank The Gaza Strip The term Palestinian territories is used by many mainstream Western journalists as a collective name for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip — two territories in Palestine. ...

Foundation and early development

The institution was originally founded in 1924 by Nabiha Nasir as an elementary school for girls from Bir Zeit and the surrounding villages. It was one of the first schools in the area. In 1930 it became a mixed-sex secondary school, and in 1932 was renamed Birzeit Higher School. Jump to: navigation, search 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

In 1942 the name was changed to Birzeit College to reflect its status as a secondary school. In 1953 a first-year university class was added to the school, followed in 1961 by a second-year class. The school thus prepared its students for the completion of their studies in other Arab universities. thumb|300px|left|جامعة بيرزيت Jump to: navigation, search 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1961 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب Ê»arab) are an originally Arabian ethnicity widespread in the Middle East and North Africa. ...

Expansion to university status

In the June War of 1967 the West Bank was occupied by Israel, and travel restrictions subsequently prevented students from studying in other Arab countries as they had generally done until then. The college therefore drew up plans in 1972 to provide a programme of study up to the fourth year of university, leading to the award of a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Sciences. It also started work on the construction of a new university campus overlooking Bir Zeit town. The 1967 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the Six-Day War or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts three or four years. ... A precise definition of the arts can be contentious, but the following areas of activity are usually included: Art / Visual arts Architecture Crafts Dance Design / Graphic design Drawing Film Literature Music Painting Photography Pottery Sculpture Theater In academia, the Arts are usually grouped with or a subset of the Humanities. ... For the scientific journal named Science, see Science (journal). ... The Universitätscampus Wien, Austria ( details) Campus (plural: campi) is Latin for field or open space. English gets the words camp and campus from this origin. ...

The third-year university programme was added in 1974 and the fourth year in 1975, and the institute was then renamed "Birzeit University". In July 1976, its first graduates obtained their degrees in Arts and Science. Over the following years, a master's programme in education was added, followed by the establishment of the faculties of Commerce and Economics (1978) and Engineering (1979). Jump to: navigation, search 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Birzeit university under Israeli rule

The Israeli authorities closed the university by military order on numerous occasions between 1973 and 1992. During the years from 1979 to 1992, the university was closed 60% of the time, including a closure of 51 months from 8 January 1988 until 29 April 1992 [1], although it continued to operate underground during that period.

More recently, movement restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities since the start of the second Palestinian intifada have caused difficulties for many students, especially those from the Gaza Strip, who have frequently been unable to travel between their homes and the university. It has been suggested that Rosh Hashana Arab Assault be merged into this article or section. ...

In total 15 students of the university have been killed by Israeli forces, and many more have been subjected to arrest and prolonged detention. These arrests have occurred for a variety of reasons, including, it would appear, political activities, participation in student councils, or involvement with armed groups; in other cases there is no known reason. The university campus has a prominent martyrs' memorial dedicated to its killed students. Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ...

Prominent students and staff

Former students at Birzeit University include West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who was head of the university's student council, and Hamas bombmaker Yahya Ayyash. Its staff has included prominent Palestinian intellectual and political figures such as Hanan Ashrawi, Sari Nusseibeh, Ibrahim Abu Lughod and Azmi Bishara. Jump to: navigation, search The Fatah official emblem shows two fists holding rifles and a hand grenade superimposed on a map of the land they claim as Palestine (roughly, present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). ... Marwan Barghouti (born June 6, 1959) is a Palestinian leader from the West Bank and a leader of the Fatah movement that forms the backbone of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). ... The Hamas emblem shows two crossed swords, the Dome of the Rock, and a map of the land they claim as Palestine (roughly, present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). ... Jump to: navigation, search Yahya Ayyash (يحيى عياش; March 6, 1966 - January 5, 1996) was a member and chief bombmaker of the Hamas terrorist organization. ... Hanan Ashrawi Hanan Ashrawi (born 8 October 1946) is a Palestinian Anglican scholar who is well-known as a Palestinian spokesperson. ... Sari Nusseibeh, born in 1949, is a professor of philosophy and president of the Arab Al-Quds University in Jerusalem (Al Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem). ... Azmi Bishara (Arabic: ; born 22 July 1956 in Nazareth) is an Israeli politician. ...

External links

• Birzeit University Website