PhDGov

15/4/2026
His Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Prof. Amjad Barham, met with members of the Steering Committee of the project on the governance of doctoral programs in Palestinian universities, ahead of the launch of the project’s national workshop.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister, Dr. Basri Saleh; the Head of the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions, Dr. Muammar Shtayyeh; and advisors to the Minister, Dr. Ihab Al-Qabaj, Dr. Alia Al-Assali, and Dr. Samir Hanna.
The delegation included representatives from the Palestinian universities participating in the project: the Arab American University, Al-Quds University, An-Najah National University, and Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie.
During the meeting, Minister Barham expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Steering Committee in implementing the project, emphasizing the importance of such national initiatives aimed at improving the quality of doctoral programs in Palestinian higher education institutions, in alignment with international standards and best practices.
The Minister stressed the importance of benefiting from global expertise, particularly European experiences, in building an advanced national model for the governance of doctoral programs. Such a model would contribute to enhancing the quality of scientific research, improving higher education outcomes, and strengthening their alignment with societal needs and the labor market.
For his part, the Project Director, Dr. Sami Sader, presented an overview of the project’s objectives and activities, expressing his gratitude to His Excellency the Minister for his support and endorsement of the project’s vision and goals, as well as for the support and cooperation of the Ministry’s teams and the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission, and their active participation in implementing the project, especially at the national level.
Dr. Sader also extended his thanks to the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, to the Director of the Erasmus+ National Office in Palestine, Dr. Amir Khalil, and to the European partner universities for their role in supporting the project and enhancing opportunities for the development of doctoral programs in Palestine.
This meeting comes within the framework of the Ministry’s support for strategic projects aimed at developing the higher education system and enhancing the quality of academic programs, particularly at the postgraduate level.

Successful Knowledge Transfer Workshop at An-Najah National University
As part of the Erasmus+ PhDGOV Project, An-Najah National University proudly hosted a Knowledge Transfer Workshop on Reforming the Governance of PhD Programs on March 25, 2026.
The workshop brought together academic leaders, faculty members, and researchers to explore innovative approaches to enhancing doctoral education in Palestine 🇵🇸
🔹 The event opened with inspiring remarks from:
Prof. Abdel Naser Zaid, President of ANNU
Dr. Mustafa Ghanem, Dean of Graduate Studies
🔹 Throughout the day, participants engaged in rich discussions on:
📌 PhD program governance and gap analysis
📌 Supervision best practices
📌 Quality assurance and monitoring systems
📌 Research ethics and academic integrity
📌 Sustainable funding models
📌 Industry collaboration and innovation
💡 The workshop highlighted key reforms, including:
Introducing a PhD Portfolio System
Strengthening supervision frameworks
Enhancing university–industry collaboration
Developing a National Doctoral Governance Framework
🤝 This initiative reflects Palestinian universities commitment to advancing research excellence, innovation, and societal impact, in collaboration with leading European partners.
📸 Stay tuned for more updates and highlights!

On 11 March 2026, the PhDGOV project was presented during the international webinar: "Boosting Academic Collaborations between Palestine and the French-Speaking Community of Belgium”.

The event was organised by ARES – Académie de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur in cooperation with NEO Palestine and brought together representatives from universities, higher education institutions, and international cooperation organisations.

During the session dedicated to funding opportunities and successful collaboration initiatives, Dr. Sami Sader, Project Coordinator, introduced the PhDGOV project as a key example of Erasmus+ Capacity Building cooperation between Palestinian and European universities. The presentation highlighted the project’s objectives to modernise doctoral education in Palestine by strengthening governance structures, enhancing quality assurance mechanisms, and promoting research-oriented PhD programmes aligned with international best practices.

Special thanks to Erasmus+ National Office Palestine for organizing and inviting PhDGOV project for this webinar.

جامعة النجاح الوطنية تشارك في برنامج تدريبي وزيارات دراسية أوروبية ضمن مشروع PhDGov لتطوير حوكمة برامج الدكتوراه

جامعة النجاح الوطنية تشارك في برنامج تدريبي وزيارات دراسية أوروبية ضمن مشروع PhDGov لتطوير حوكمة برامج الدكتوراه شاركت جامعة النجاح الوطنية في البرنامج التدريبي والزيارات الدراسية المنفذة ضمن مشروع PhDGov والممول من الاتحاد الأوروبي، خلال الفترة 19–23 كانون الثاني/يناير 2026، والذ....

On the afternoon of 21 January 2026, Prof. dr. Jan Danckaert, Rector of Vrije Universiteit Brussel ( ), attended the closing session of the PhDGov in-person training held at VUB in Brussels.

The PhDGov in-person training was officially launched on 19 January 2026 at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels, hosted by the EU–China Higher Education Research Center (ECHE) of VUB. The training brings together representatives from Palestinian higher education institutions and European partner universities for three days of exchange and capacity-building activities.

During the session, Prof. dr. Jan Danckaert delivered closing remarks and awarded certificates of completion to the participants, marking the successful conclusion of the PhDGov in-person training phase.

The event concluded with the concrete planning for the study visits and group photos, highlighting the institutional engagement of VUB and celebrating the completion of the training activities.

https://is.gd/RjLFP3

الجامعة العربية الأمريكية تشارك في تدريب دولي لتعزيز حوكمة برامج الدكتوراه ضمن مشروع PhDGOV الممول من برنامج Erasmus+الأوروبي | الجامعة العربي شاركت الجامعة العربية الأمريكية في فعاليات التدريب الحضوري ا

Our study visit to Vrije Universiteit Brussel was truly magnificent, offering two intensive and inspiring days of learning under the PhDGov project, co-funded by

On 22 January 2026, the visit focused on AI, digital tools, and stakeholder engagement. Hosted by the EU–China Higher Education Research Center (ECHE), the day began with visits to Brussels AI Labs and the VUB AI Experience Center, where we explored advanced AI research environments. This was followed by practical discussions on the use of AI and digital tools in PhD governance, highlighting how technology supports doctoral education and research management. In the afternoon, we learned about the Stakeholder Engagement Panel, with rich discussions on university–labour market collaboration and career development for PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers. The day concluded with a valuable meeting with VLIR-UOS, focusing on funding opportunities, international cooperation, and capacity building.

On 23 January 2026, the programme continued with a strong focus on doctoral training and research ethics. Sessions covered the FLAMES programme, showcasing a collaborative Flemish model for doctoral training in research methods and statistics, followed by discussions on research ethics and academic integrity, including institutional policies, plagiarism prevention, and ethics committees. The visit then moved to , where we visited the e-Lab at University of Applied Sciences and Arts, exchanging insights on applied research, digital education, and entrepreneurial learning. The study visit concluded with a take-away and feedback session and the distribution of certificates, marking the successful completion of the PhDGov study visit in Belgium.

A rich and well-designed programme that will directly inform the advancement of PhD governance and doctoral education in our universities.

On the sidelines of his participation in Week in Brussels, Dr. Adli Saleh, Vice President for Planning, Development, and Quality at Arab American University ( ) and a PhDGOV project team member, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the project to a distinguished audience representing universities, as well as academic and research institutions from and the region.
UNIMED Week in is an international academic platform that brings together universities, higher education networks, research institutions, and policy stakeholders from Europe and the Mediterranean. The event focuses on higher education, scientific , , and the development of academic partnerships, in addition to discussions on European policies related to regional cooperation.
During his presentation, Dr. Saleh outlined the objectives and key components of the PhDGOV project and highlighted its role in strengthening the governance of doctoral programmes in Palestinian universities, while aligning them with European best practices. The presentation attracted strong interest and positive engagement from participants, underscoring the project’s relevance and significance within the Euro-Mediterranean academic cooperation agenda.