Right: Local and international Birzeit students enjoying a barbecue together.
Internationals who come to study at Birzeit University will find that life on campus and in the country is intrinsically different from life in their own country with regard to personal lifestyle, leisure activities and behavior patterns. These factors should be considered seriously and weighed against personal motivation to discover a stimulating and different way of life before deciding to study in the West Bank.
The life and freedom of Palestinians is severely affected by the daily realities of military occupation and the current transfers of authority. Military-imposed measures include restrictions of movement within and/or leaving the West Bank, frequent identity checks, imprisonment, and abuse of the local population.
International students are in general not subjected to the same restrictions. Nevertheless, when living in the West Bank they may be affected indirectly by them, usually through Israeli curfews and closures of Palestinian areas.
The Second Intifada, the Palestinian uprising that started in September 2000, influenced life in the Occupied Territories in many ways. Travel restrictions have made it difficult for the people of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to move from town to town. Curfews are sometimes imposed, which make even movement inside the city impossible.
For students, the university campus is a central place for socializing. International students may expect that most of their social life will be centered on campus, where they can join in activities and events such as music and dance performances, theater and films.
Palestinian society comprises a cultural variety incorporating Muslims and Christians, villagers, townspeople, refugees and a wide spectrum of political groupings, all bringing with them their own cultural and political expectations.
PAS
Orientation
To help
introduce international students to some of the issues and conditions
under which they will be living, Birzeit University requires PAS
students to attend an orientation program during the week prior to
the commencement of classes. The program covers housing and living
conditions; rights as foreigners and students; transport; health
facilities; the academic calendar, courses offered and cultural
issues.
Climate
and Clothing
The climate
between June and September is usually hot and dry, but even the
hottest summer days can be cool in the evening. In general, casual
clothing is appropriate for summer wear but shorts and halter or open
tops for women and shorts for men are not suitable anywhere in the
West Bank or Gaza. During winter, from November to April,
temperatures cool considerably and heavy rain-proof clothing is
necessary and thermal underwear will be useful. At night,
temperatures can drop to below 0 degrees Celsius and snow may fall
occasionally. Most apartments do not have central heating.
Visas
and Study Permits
Depending
upon nationality, foreigners are required either to obtain a visa to
Israel in advance, or upon arrival at the airport. Check with your
local Israeli Embassy. Generally, student visas are not granted to
internationals who study at Birzeit. Students are advised to enter
the country on a 3-month tourist visa which may need to be renewed
during their stay.
Services and Facilities
Accommodation
Rented
rooms are available in houses and apartments in Birzeit and Ramallah.
Apartments and rooms may be shared with one or two other
international students.
Library
The Yousuf Ahmed
Alghanim Library has an open-stack system with a collection of over
100,000 volumes, of which 40,579 are in Arabic, 71,884 in English,
and 2,000 in other languages. The library follows the Library of
Congress classification system. To browse the library website,
log onto: http://home.birzeit.edu/library/
Computer
Center
The Computer
Center offers services to the university's administrative and
academic sectors. A campus-wide network is now in place, and
international students have access to e-mail and Internet. Two
laboratories with forty PC stations are available to students.
Medical
Clinic
The
university medical clinic is available to all students free-of-charge
during working hours. The medical staff arranges referrals to
specialist services and practitioners.
Cafeterias
Birzeit University
has one very large student cafeteria on its campus and two smaller
cafeterias (science building and commerce building). Meals cost
between NIS 8-15 and are not included in the fees. Small restaurants
and cafes are also available in nearby towns.
Bookstore
Books and major
reproduced materials required for university courses are sold at the
bookstore or through the PAS office. Approximate cost per course book
is NIS 50.
Identification
Cards
Following
registration, students are provided with a Birzeit University
identification card enabling them to use the library and other
university facilities.
Next section: PAS Program lecturers and their specializations
Contact the PAS Program by e-mail on pas-isp@birzeit.edu