Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) has participated in the launch meeting of the FORWARD project (Urban Resilience Through Open Science, Education, and Community Engagement in War-Torn Areas). Funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme, the launch took place at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway from Monday 26 January to Wednesday 28 January 2026. IUG is one of nine primary partners from Norway, Italy, Palestine, and Ukraine, alongside two associate partners: the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) and the Gaza Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP).
Representing the IUG project team, Professor Dr Mohammed Abdel-Aty delivered an introductory presentation outlining the university’s faculties, deanships, academic specialisms, international projects, and global relations.
Dr Rawia Awadallah, the Project Manager, highlighted the significance of the initiative in building the capacity of participating universities in urban planning and resilience education. She noted that this would ultimately contribute to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of war-affected areas in Palestine and Ukraine.
The remaining members of the IUG project team joined the meeting remotely via the internet. Attendees from the Centre for Excellence and E-Learning included Professor Dr Iyad Al-Agha and Mr Bilal Al-Nabris. The Department of Architectural Engineering was represented by Professor Dr Farid Al-Qeeq, Dr Suheir Ammar, and Mr Mohammed Al-Haddad, whilst Dr Mona Muhanna and Ms Zainab Abed participated on behalf of the Gaza Urban Agriculture Platform. Together, the remote team co-presented on the specific tasks assigned to IUG within the framework of the project.
The FORWARD project aims to strengthen urban resilience in war-affected regions by providing specialized, practical training via open-access resources for students, academics, and professionals. It also seeks to develop urban planning data resources to support scientific research and education, leveraging modern technologies for learning and data analysis. The project is implemented through a consortium of Palestinian, Ukrainian, and European universities, including:
- Palestine: The Islamic University of Gaza and An-Najah National University.
- Ukraine: V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (KKNU), Kyiv National Economic University (KNEU), and Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU).
- Europe: Oslo Metropolitan University (OSLOMET) – acting as project coordinator – the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), the Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH), and the Polytechnic University of Milan (POLIMI).
For further details regarding the project, please visit the official website at: https://uni.oslomet.no/forward/