Strengthening Higher Education and Research in Conflict Studies in Gaza/Palestine. Preparatory Funding.

Project Duration: January 2023 to May 2023

This Preparatory Funding will be used to develop an academic partnership between Al-Azhar University Gaza, Civitas Institute Gaza, and the University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Vienna. Within the framework of the project "Strengthening Higher Education and Research in Conflict Studies in Gaza/Palestine" the three partners propose to establish a "Center for Conflict Studies" at the Department of Political Science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza to strengthen institutional capacity in higher education and research in Palestine. Through the NGO Civitas Institute, a link to the Palestinian civil society will be ensured. Other priorities of the partnership include gender mainstreaming, faculty and student exchanges, the development of innovative research methodologies, and the management of cross-border joint projects. In addition, this cooperation brings a Global South perspective into the research and teaching activities of the Department of Applied Political Science at the University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Vienna.

• Establishing a Center for Conflict Studies at the Department of Political Science at Al-Azhar University Gaza.
• A culture of academic dialogue and collaboration among participating institutions and with stakeholders will be developed.
• The participating institutions integrate gender, diversity, and inclusion dimensions into teaching and research.
• A perspective of the Global South is integrated into the  Master’s course International Relations and Urban Policy at the FH Campus Wien.
• The participating institutions exchange faculty and students and mutually benefit from different perspectives.