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Introducing the new Palestine Scholarship Programme

Over the past 30 years, twenty-four students from Palestine have come to Ireland to study under the Irish Aid Fellowship Training Programme.

In January, Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, T.D., announced that Ireland is to significantly increase the number of scholarships offered to Palestinian students over the next five years, which will be done through the establishment of a dedicated scholarship programme.

The Tánaiste announced an immediate increase of €200,000 in 2018 funding available for Palestinian students seeking third level and professional training opportunities in Ireland.

The Tánaiste indicated that the Government intends to provide significant further increases in scholarship funding for Palestinian students over the 2019-2022 period.

“For the first time, funding is being ring-fenced to create further opportunities for Palestinian students to undertake Masters levels courses in our Higher Education Institutes in Ireland. This is a first step towards a large-scale scholarship programme for Palestinian students, to be expanded over the next five years. Ireland has long been a strong supporter of the development of modern and quality education for all Palestinians in conjunction with our partners, the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, and this scholarship programme will be a further tangible expression of that support.”

The Palestine Scholarship Programme will focus on courses which will enhance labour market skills in areas where there are identified deficits. The programme will be accessible to groups across Palestinian society; enhancing opportunities for women and providing opportunities to other previously under-represented groups.
Palestinian Minister for Education and Higher Education, Sabri Saidam, welcomed the announcement.

“Ireland has today consolidated its support to the Palestinian people in their march towards improving the quality of education and realising the vision of the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education which aims to create a knowledge productive Palestine capable of producing a sustainable economy.”

For 2018/19, three students will come to Ireland to study under the new programme. They will study on courses in Dublin Institute of Technology and University of Limerick in international and peace studies, and sustainable development.

 

Maha Abdallah, 2016 FTP fellow from Palestine, at her graduation day in NUI Galway