Enrolment of Students in Institutes of Higher Education

Enrolment of Students in Institutes of Higher Education

Zajel / An-Najah National University    Conference on: The Role of Higher Education in the Context of an Independent Palestinian State 7-9 Nov.1996 We expect that a large number of Palestinian high-school students, currently studying abroad, will want to enroll in universities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. If the peace process continues on its current path, we can expect a great deal more contact with the Palestinians made homeless in 1948. At this juncture, the higher education system must lay down the bases for acceptance for first-year university students as well as the bases for changing from a foreign or Arab university to a Palestinian one. As for students who wish to matriculate in institutes 'of higher being, we must lay down certain guidelines for determining whether or not they will be accepted for study on this level. The possession of a high school diploma (altawjihi) or its equivalent should be mandatory for acceptance into one of these institutions. Such a condition does not at all preclude other specialized and prestigious universities from laying down additional conditions for acceptance. We should also note that in our projected vision of the framework of institutes of higher education, we stated that students in junior colleges should be allowed to move to a college or university which offers a bachelor's degree. Thus, we realize the importance of a merit­ based system of acceptance for all high-school students applying to study in colleges and universities.