---

An-Najah National University, as a key partner in the Erasmus+ funded PhDGov project, participated in launching its capacity-building activities. This participation is part of the university's continuous efforts to develop postgraduate programs and enhance the quality of higher education in Palestine. The PhDGov project aims to improve the governance of doctoral programs in Palestinian higher education institutions.

The first online training activities commenced with active participation from the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission (AQAC), and several Palestinian universities, including: the Arab American University, Al-Quds University, An-Najah National University, Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie. Additionally, three European partner universities participated: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

The sessions opened with a welcoming speech by His Excellency Dr. Amjad Barham, Minister of Education and Higher Education, who emphasized the project's importance in supporting the development of policies related to higher education and postgraduate studies in Palestine.

These activities aim to develop innovative and effective governance models for doctoral programs, based on European best practices, while adapting them to suit the Palestinian context and its institutional and academic needs.

The sessions, held on May 26 and 27, 2025, included specialized presentations and interactive sessions delivered by academic experts from the European universities. These sessions covered key topics in building the capacities of research supervisors, developing governance frameworks, and enhancing the quality of academic supervision.

Through its active participation, An-Najah National University reaffirmed its pioneering role in advancing doctoral programs and strengthening international cooperation to develop educational policies. This contributes to building a globally competitive academic environment that keeps pace with national development requirements.

The project is set to continue its synchronous remote training activities in June 2025, through additional sessions led by European partners, along with providing advanced online training modules via the CANVAS platform. This aims to make knowledge accessible and expand its benefits to staff working in Palestinian higher education institutions.

This participation aligns with An-Najah National University's vision for leadership in higher education and scientific research, and its commitment to strengthening partnerships and integration with Palestinian and international universities, thereby serving the quality of academic programs and enhancing their outcomes.