In cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government, the Quality and Development Deanship at Islamic University of Gaza held a workshop to revitalize service learning reality among university students. The organization of the workshop comes within the framework of a memorandum of understanding recently signed by the university with the Ministry of Local Government with the aim of paving the way for students to benefit from the facilities of the Ministry of Local Government in implementing service learning programs.
The workshop was attended by: Dr. Muhammad Aziz-Deputy Director of Quality and Development Deanship; Dr. Ahmed Abu Amsha, Planning file official at Quality and Development Deanship; Engineer Yasser Hassouna-Director of Youth Programs and Community Participation Unit; and Ms. Hala Al-Qassas-Training file official at the Ministry of Local Government; and a group of representatives of local authorities in the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Aziz stressed that service learning is inseparable from quality, pointing to the university’s consolidation of the service learning concept within IUG’s strategic plan 2020-2024, noting that the university signed several agreements with a number of ministries to implement service learning, namely: the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Agriculture. Dr. Aziz indicated that service learning is a notion that precedes graduation and contributes to building students’ personal skills, discovering their abilities, and achieving a kind of socio-human communication between society members.
Eng. Hassouna explained that the Ministry of Local Government, since the beginning of last year, has started with incubating the service strategy, and service learning is a significant strategy for community participation. He pointed out that this concept will be distributed to all universities in the Gaza Strip because service learning contributes to linking students with field experience, understanding the labor market and its requirements, and activating students’ memory by bridging the gap between practical and theoretical information.
Dr. Abu Amsha gave a presentation on the definition of service learning, its objectives, its importance, the benefits of service learning to teachers, students, and society, the steps of service learning, and the application of the concept of service learning as a faculty member. The presentation included 32 courses nominated for service learning in all disciplines at the university.
Ms. Al-Qassas explained that a proposal for a service learning program was prepared for the Ministry of Local Government and local bodies, including tasks required from the ministry and local body representative, adding that several issues were raised to form future practical projects and to attract diverse creative ideas from students who are encouraged to submit them to the Ministry.
