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