IUG has started offering an elective course titled “Basics of Good Governance and Elections” for students in the faculties of Commerce and Sharia and Law.
Dr. Elian El-Holi, Vice President for Academic Affairs, said that the purpose of this course is to raise students’ awareness of principles of elections and good governance.
Dr. El-Holi added that many meetings were held between the representatives of universities in the Gaza Strip and West Bank and Central Elections Commission through Video Conference to agree on the content of the course. He also noted that teaching the course does not follow the traditional way. Rather, it depends on workshops and meetings prepared by the students in cooperation with the Central Elections Commission. The professors giving the 3-credit hour course are highly experienced and professional, Dr. Al-Holi added.
Dr. Waleed Almodallal, who teaches the course in the Faculty of Commerce, noted that the course aims to familiarize students with the underpinnings of Good Governance and introduce them to the importance of political behavior, political upbringing and the role of civil society, political parties and media in the political life. He pointed out that the course covers the role of political participation in constructing a good democratic regime and promoting democratic values among students. The course will convince students of the importance of participating in the election process and shed light on the important role of the media in fostering values of integrity and good governance.
Dr. Almodallal praised the big number of students registering the course. He hoped the course would make students more aware of good governance values, the distinctions between the types of electoral systems and the importance of political participation in authority and public administration.
IUG Academic Affairs had signed a memorandum of understanding last November with the Central Elections Commission to teach a course on elections for university students. IUG is among six Palestinian universities to teach this course in collaboration with the Central Election Commission. These universities are Islamic University of Gaza, Hebron University, Bethlehem University, Palestine Technical College, Arab-American University and Gaza University. The course project is funded by the European Union and will be implemented in three phases: preparation, presentation and evaluation.
