Mobilizing Displaced Gazan University Students: a case study

Abstract

In the midst of death and extensive destruction in the recent Gaza War, displaced university students who can reach neighboring Egypt face significant barriers to continuing their studies. Private universities may offer special support to Gazan students, but application requirements can be an obstacle for some. National universities require significant payment to submit an application and may not accept the years of study already completed at Gaza universities. In this context, university faculty and staff at the American University in Cairo designed a creative project to meet dual purposes: first to provide non-degree short course education to displaced students, and second, to engage students in producing interview data that willamplify the voices of Gazans in planning for eventual rebuilding. Universities can use their talents and resources to support displaced students at low cost, while avoiding the risks associated with overt political activism in some environments.