On Sunday, October 1, 2023, Palestine Polytechnic University concluded the "Enhancing Cross-Border Employment in Palestinian Higher Education Institutions - REACH" project, funded by the Erasmus+ program. The closing ceremony took place on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, with the presence of Dr. Islam Hassouna, the Deputy University President for Community Service Affairs, and Eng. Mamoun Abu Rayan, the Training and Projects Officer at the Engineers Association, along with notable participation from academics, graduates, and students.
This project involved the collaboration of nine universities (five Palestinian and four from the European Union) under the leadership of the Islamic University of Gaza. It began in November 2019 and aimed to promote freelance employment opportunities for Palestinian university graduates, within the framework of enhancing the capacities of Palestinian higher education institutions.
At the start of the ceremony, Dr. Islam Hassouna welcomed the attendees and emphasized that enhancing employment opportunities for graduates is a strategic priority for the university, focusing on remote work and freelancing. He expressed satisfaction with the project's outcomes, aligning with the university's policy of equipping graduates with the necessary skills for freelance work.
Dr. Iyad Al-Heshlamoun, the project coordinator, provided an overview of the project, highlighting its goals, outputs, and significance for students and graduates in the field of freelancing and remote work. He also discussed the project's four-year journey, emphasizing the importance of remote work in the global market from within the homeland.
Dr. Radwan Tahboub explained one of the project's outcomes, the REACH freelance work platform, and how to use it. Additionally, Mr. Ali Ramadan, Director of the Business Incubator at Palestine Polytechnic University, discussed the university's role in supporting students and their ideas and training them in the required skills.
During the ceremony, success stories of academics who trained at European universities were presented, along with a short video showcasing success stories of students and graduates.
The private sector was represented at the event by AHL LOGICS, represented by Haitham Al-Tamimi, which specializes in remote mechanical design work. He highlighted the importance of this aspect of freelance work, its opportunities, and challenges.
The ceremony also featured a panel discussion on the importance of university education for freelance work, with the participation of Dr. Ramzi Al-Qawasmi, Assistant University President for Academic Affairs, and Eng. Mamoun Abu Rayan. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Noor Al-Jneidi and focused on the university's adoption of project outcomes in the academic process, the Engineers Association's efforts to raise awareness among engineers about the benefits of freelancing and remote work, and the future of service trade.
In the closing of the ceremony, hosted by Ms. Mira Al-Slaimeh and Eng. Omar Abu Seif, gifts and certificates of appreciation were distributed to the students who participated in the project's training sessions.
