On International Women’s Day: Palestinian women at the heart of academic communities
This International Women’s Day, we share a special feature as part of our series Our Universities Live On, highlighting Palestinian women at the heart of academic communities.
Amid scholasticide targeting Palestinian higher education – from the destruction of university campuses to restrictions, raids, detentions, and the killings of faculty and students – Palestinian women continue to sustain academic life through their teaching, research, leadership, and advocacy, ensuring that knowledge and learning endure.
Dr Samah Jarrad
Assistant Professor of Postcolonial Literature, Palestine Technical University- Kadoorie
Dr Samah Abdul Hakeem Fareed Jarrad is an Assistant Professor of English Language and Literature at Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie. She specialises in postcolonial and Palestinian literature and holds a PhD in Postcolonial Literature. Her research focuses on Palestinian women’s writing, resistance, and discourse analysis, and has been published in internationally indexed journals. In addition to her academic work, she is an author, translator and trainer, and actively contributes to international academic collaborations, conferences and editorial activities.
A deep sense of responsibility toward the future of my students is the main driver of my commitment to them. In times of crisis, the classroom becomes more than a space for critical thinking and academic discussion; it also serves as a refuge from uncertainty, a place where students can regain balance and maintain their mental well-being. Beyond regular teaching activities, we, as educators and members of a community fragmented by war, strive to preserve social cohesion and a sense of hope in a country enduring prolonged conflict.
Dr Iman Saca
Vice President for Academic Affairs Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology, Bethlehem University
For over 20 years, Dr. Iman has been a leading scholar and interdisciplinary educator in Archaeology and Anthropology and an advocate for cultural protection, preservation, and promotion. Dr. Iman received her Ph.D. and M.A. in Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She completed her B.A. in Archaeology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. A native of Bethlehem, she attended Saint Joseph Girls School and Talitha Kumi for High School. Dr. Iman’s research interest focuses on interdisciplinary education, community participation, cultural heritage preservation, and the prehistory of the Levant. Her research interests lie at the intersection of anthropology, community archaeology; oral history; lived experiences; intergenerational heritage education; community participation, and heritage protection. Dr. Iman’s scholarship and research advocate for active participation of all sectors of society as a decolonial praxis – to decolonize history, land, and heritage and for indigenous people to unearth, document, and tell their own stories, locally and globally. On a community and institutional level, she builds bridges to work together to find concrete, creative ways to protect their heritage, both tangible and intangible, from loss, destruction, and appropriation.
For Palestinian women, education is both empowerment and a way to safeguard identity and heritage. Through learning, teaching, research, and cultural work, women challenge erasure and affirm their presence, rights, and narratives amid political struggle. Their engagement in classrooms, universities, and community initiatives helps foster political awareness, advocate for justice, and sustain national identity. In doing so, they equip future generations not only with knowledge but also with the determination to protect their heritage, rights, and collective future.
Lina Abu Heen
6th Year Medical Student, Islamic University of Gaza
Lina Abu Heen is a medical student at the Islamic University of Gaza with an interest in surgical specialties. She has contributed to international discussions on medical education under scholasticide in Gaza. she volunteered at the European Gaza Hospital (EGH) across several departments, including vascular surgery, emergency, and internal medicine, and also volunteered with Fajr Scientific. She currently serves as a Projects Coordinator in Gaza with Shaalan’s Humanitarian Medical Aid (SHM). Despite ongoing disruption, she remains committed to completing her studies and becoming a doctor.
Education is my only lifeline and the one investment that can never be confiscated. Resources may be taken from us, but no one can strip knowledge from a mind that believes in its mission. As a Palestinian medical student, continuing my studies is both an act of resilience and a refusal to be erased. Every piece of knowledge I gain is a promise to my community – a commitment to heal, to save lives, and to help build a future where our people receive the care they deserve.
Professor Hala El-Khozondar
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Smart Systems, Islamic University of Gaza
Professor Hala El-Khozondar is a visiting professor at the Department of Materials at Imperial College and Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Smart Systems at the Islamic University of Gaza since 2000. She joined the physics faculty at Birzeit University in 1987 and earned her PhD in physics from New Mexico State University (NMSU), USA in 1999. Professor El-Khozandar has played a pivotal role in the development of the quality assurance unit and external relations department at the Islamic University of Gaza. Her research interests include working on innovative solar energy systems, developing optical fibers for faster data transmission and on optical sensors for medical purposes.
When I open Zoom to teach, even in the most difficult conditions, my students would ask me to keep the lecture going. Many were connecting from tents, trying to focus on their studies while violence unfolded around them. They told me that learning helped them escape the harsh reality surrounding them and hold on to a sense of normal life. For me as a teacher, continuing to teach in those moments was deeply emotional, but it reminded me that education can give students strength, hope and the feeling that their future has not been taken away.
Dr Manal Abu Minshar
Head of the Foundations of Education Department, Hebron University
Manal M. Abu Minshar has been the Head of the Department at the College of Education since 2016. She has participated in several Erasmus projects, such as RQTEPP and TELTA with CCU University, and the Neurodevelopment Project with Granada University. Manal also took part in the Early Childhood Project with the University of South-Eastern Norway, and participated in the Anadolu International Staff Mobility Week in Turkey. In addition, she has worked as a trainer for teachers of grades 1–4, as well as for kindergarten teachers, in joint projects with the World Bank and the University of Delaware. Her research interests focus on teaching methods, teacher training, and curriculum development.
My deep commitment to my students comes from a strong sense of responsibility for their future. In challenging times,the classroom becomes more than a place of learning – it is a space where students can think, express themselves and regain a sense of stability. As educators, our role goes beyond delivering knowledge; it is about nurturing resilience, supporting students’ well-being and helping them find hope and purpose despite difficult circumstances.
Amani Al-Mqadma
Head of International Relations, Islamic University of Gaza
Amani Ahmed (Al-Mqadma) is Head of International Relations at the Islamic University of Gaza and a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh Business School, supported by a CARA Fellowship. She has nearly twenty years of experience in higher education internationalisation, partnership development, and donor-funded project coordination across Gaza’s higher education sector. She is a member of the EU Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) Palestine chamber (since July 2023) and co-authored the report Resilience in the Rubble: The Needs of Higher Education Institutions in the Gaza Strip. Her research interests include women’s digital entrepreneurship and empowerment, entrepreneurial ecosystems in conflict contexts, and higher education internationalisation under war and displacement. Within her mandate at IUG, Amani has managed and coordinated several international partnership projects with EU and UK universities including students exchange projects, women empowerment and employability as well as building the research capacities of Palestinian higher education institutions for gender equality, peace building as well as business research.
Since October 2023, my work has focused on making Gaza’s higher education visible, strengthening global partnerships, and securing pathways for students to continue learning inside and outside the Gaza Strip. Even under destruction, women’s voices in academia rise with strength – building bridges, advocating for our institutions, and sustaining the networks that keep universities connected to the world. Women in Palestinian higher education carry a dual role: nurturing students through care and emotional labour, while also doing the vital institutional work that helps universities endure.
Dr Reem Ghussain
Assistant Professor of English–Arabic Translation, Al-Azhar University, Gaza
Dynamic Assistant Professor of English–Arabic Translation at Al-Azhar University, with extensive experience in curriculum development and innovative teaching strategies. Skilled in designing and delivering engaging translation courses that foster critical thinking and collaborative learning. Proficient in educational technology and online teaching, committed to creating impactful and student-centered learning experiences. Expert in curriculum design and student assessment techniques, with a deep understanding of English–Arabic translation pedagogy. Proven ability to cultivate collaborative academic environments, adapt to evolving educational goals, and drive student success through tailored instructional approaches.
Continuing to teach in these circumstances is a form of Palestinian resilience. Despite war and immense challenges, sustaining the academic process affirms our commitment to knowledge and to our presence on our land. As educators, it is our responsibility to support students with flexibility and care, ensuring that learning continues and that a conscious, educated generation can help shape the future.
Dr Munawwar Adnan Najim
Associate Professor of Education, Islamic University of Gaza
Dr Munawwar Adnan Najim is an Associate Professor at the Islamic University of Gaza and a specialist in education, identity, and higher education. Her work explores the role of education in shaping Palestinian society, with a particular focus on women’s leadership and educational policy. She has held roles in both academia and the Palestinian Ministry of Education and contributes to research on education in conflict-affected contexts.
Continuing academic work under siege and destruction means safeguarding knowledge, dignity and the future of our society. As a Palestinian woman academic, sustaining the ability to teach, research and think critically despite immense hardship is essential to preserving knowledge. When students see their professors persevere under such conditions, it strengthens their hope and confidence, empowering a generation capable of rebuilding its institutions and shaping the future.
Dr Wafaa Khater
Associate Professor of Physics, Birzeit University
Professor Wafaa Khater is a faculty member at the Department of Physics in Birzeit University and the Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics hosted in Birzeit University. She served in several administrative positions at Birzeit University where she was the Dean of the Faculty of Science there for three years between 2021-2024. In 2014, she was awarded a five-year associateship at the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Italy and continues to collaborate with ICTP’s Physics Without Frontiers program where she is currently a Senior associate there. Professor Khater earned her master’s and PhD from Bergen University, Norway. Her research focuses on High-Energy Particle Physics, CP violation, and Higgs Physics. She actively supports women in science through organizations like the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD). Professor Khater has facilitated Palestinian student participation in CERN’s Summer Student Program and ICTP’s Physics Without Frontiers, and is a founding organiser of the Palestinian Advanced Physics School, connecting students with global experts in collaboration with Scientists for Palestine group.
In Palestinian universities, female students in physics often outnumber their male colleagues. These talented young women need role models from their own community who can encourage them to continue their education despite the daily challenges they face, including harassment and the dangers of travelling through military checkpoints to reach campus. For me, one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is hearing from students and alumni about how studying physics helped them pursue their passion and empower themselves through education.
Sundos Hammad
Coordinator, Right to Education Campaign, Birzeit University
Sundos Hammad is the coordinator of the Right to Education Campaign — a grassroots Palestinian movement founded in 1988 to document, research, and raise awareness about the oppression faced by Palestinian students, teachers, and academic institutions under Israeli military occupation. The campaign works to empower students to claim their human right to education, to break the isolation of Palestinian educational institutions, and to demand an end to the occupation.
In Palestine, education is not simply about studying or earning a degree – it is a way of defending our identity and asserting our collective rights. The targeting of universities is an attempt to erase our ability to produce knowledge and shape our future. Through the Right to Education Campaign, we work to document these violations, amplify Palestinian voices, and ensure that students can continue to claim their fundamental right to learn.
Shaimaa Abughadyeen
English literature graduate, Al-Aqsa University
Shaimaa Abughadyeen is an English Language and Literature graduate from Al-Aqsa University, Gaza. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Educational Qualification and works as an English teacher in displacement areas in Gaza, supporting children’s access to learning through reading and conversation-based activities.
Shaimaa is also a published writer with We Are Not Numbers, a programme that mentors emerging writers from Palestine to tell their stories and advocate for their human rights. Through education and storytelling, she is committed to using language as a tool for resilience and empowerment.
For me, continuing my education in Gaza is an act of resistance. When universities are destroyed and classrooms become tents, learning becomes a way to defend knowledge and refuse the erasure of our intellectual life. As a Palestinian woman who studies, teaches, and writes, I believe every lesson we continue and every story we share affirms that our voices, ideas, and scholarship endure. In this way, education becomes not only resilience, but a declaration that our intellectual life will persist.
Dr Shurouq Hassan
College of Education, Hebron University
Dr. Shurouq Shareef Hassan is a Palestinian academic in Educational Sciences and a lecturer at Hebron University since 2012. Her work focuses on teaching methodologies, technology integration in education, and modern instructional practices.
She holds a BA from Bethlehem University, an MA in Instruction and Curriculum from the Hashemite University in Jordan, and a PhD in Educational Sciences from the University of Tunis, where her research examined the role of technology in higher education.
Dr. Hassan is actively engaged in teaching, curriculum development, and research, contributing to the advancement of modern educational practices in Palestine.
Education has the power to create transformation and open new possibilities beyond professional boundaries. For fourteen years, I have worked as a teacher and mentor at Hebron University’s College of Education, helping students develop critical thinking and recognise the value of knowledge. The classroom is a place where students find support, exchange ideas and continue learning despite challenges. Balancing my academic role with being a wife and mother of four has strengthened my belief that education is the foundation for building thoughtful individuals and stronger communities.
Professor Rifa Al-Khozondar
Professor of Physics, Al-Aqsa University
Professor Al-Khozondar earned her BSc in Physics at Birzeit University in 1986. She later completed her MSc in Physics in 1996 and her PhD in Computational Methods for Materials Science in 2002 at New Mexico State University. She has received several international research awards and scholarships, including the ICTP Regular Associate Award, a DAAD short study visit scholarship, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation scholarship. She also serves on the editorial boards of several international journals.
For many Palestinian women, pursuing a career in STEM is not only about science – it is about determination and the right to learn, teach and contribute to knowledge despite immense challenges. Even as universities in Gaza have been destroyed, we continue to teach and support our students because education represents continuity and dignity. When students remain connected to learning, they are reminded that their future still matters and that their identities as scholars and scientists cannot be erased.
