The EU Project “Developing two Master Degree Programs:

The Criminal Law Master (An-‎Najah National University and Al-Quds University) and the Economic and Financial Law ‎Master (Birzeit University)"

About the EU Project

While An-Najah, Al-Quds and Birzeit universities have maintained close relationships with each ‎other throughout their respective histories, their professional and academic bonds have been ‎further strengthened during their joint project with the EU. Their collaboration emerged in ‎‎2013 as the pilot for cooperation and networking opportunities

The overall objective of the project is to support Palestinian legal education institutes in order ‎to provide the Palestinian judicial system with highly qualified legal professionals and ‎academics with advanced post graduate academic degrees to participate in developing the ‎legal framework in the fields of Economic and Financial Law and Criminal Law.‎

The creation of the Master in Criminal Law at An-Najah and Al-Quds Universities seeks to help ‎in creating a new generation of specialised professionals that will work alongside current ‎practitioners of criminal law to strengthen the Palestinian justice system. In targeting both ‎recent law graduates as well as seasoned legal professionals, the program aims to disseminate ‎knowledge of criminal law throughout the legal system as quickly as possible and also to ensure ‎that improvements to the judiciary system come from the bottom as well as the top, laying the ‎groundwork for sustainable legal reforms.

Similarly, the Master in Economic and Financial Law at Birzeit University aims to provide the ‎necessary educational training to create a domestic professional class cohort that is capable of ‎strengthening economic and financial legal institutions and legislation in Palestine. Such an ‎emphasis on improving domestic capacity will also serve to increase a range of protections of ‎citizens’ rights in both the criminal and the economic and financial law sectors.‎

  • Since the inception of the project, 131 students have enrolled in the MA in Criminal Law
    • At ANU 59 students: 27 students for the first year, 32 students for the second year
    • At Birzeit: 30 students: 15 students in the first year, 15 in the second year.‎
    • At Al-Quds: 42 students: 25 in the first year, 17 in the second year.‎
  • An-Najah’s MOUs with the following institutions:‎
    • Al-Haq Institute
    • Legal Clinic
    • Public Prosecution
    • The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN)‎
    • Defence for Children International (DCI)/Palestine
    • Poitiers University, France
    • Mohammad V University, Morocco
    • Palestinian Authority’s Office of the Attorney General
    • Palestinian Environmental Authority
  • To provide students with the opportunity to hear different perspectives and further enhance ‎their learning, a number of guest speakers were invited to speak on a variety of topics.  ‎These institutions also facilitated seminars, trainings, conferences, and round-table ‎discussions.‎

Faten Akkawi, Director of Program Coordination Unit (Mobile: 00970-597-911089)

Dr. Akram Daoud, Project Manager

Haneen Suleiman, Project Coordinator

Lecturer Researchers:

Jenan Qadous

Junior Researchers:

  • Ali Sbaih
  • Sanabel Breik