Young Palestinians will have the opportunity to earn degrees from both Bethlehem University and Sapienza University of Rome, learning alongside Italian peers while remaining rooted in their homeland and communities. That vision moved closer on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, when Bethlehem University signed a strategic academic partnership agreement at Sapienza.

The agreement supports the establishment of the Hamad Harazeen Faculty of Applied Sciences, Technology and Engineering. It is made possible by the generosity of Palestinian businessman and philanthropist Mr. Hamad Harazeen, through Khair Inc. Foundation.

Speaking at the ceremony, Brother Hernán described what this means for students of Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence: degrees from both institutions, shared classrooms with Italian peers, and a future built at home.

“For us at Bethlehem University, this agreement is concrete,” he said.

The partnership establishes a framework for double-degree pathways. Academic implementation protocols will now define the curricula, credit recognition, mobility and degree requirements, in line with each institution’s approval procedures and applicable regulations. Academic quality and students’ needs remain at the center of the work.

The initiative puts into practice Bethlehem University’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, which calls for joint academic programs, sustained international partnerships, and education in technology and practical skills that serves both Palestinian and global contexts. The aim is to prepare graduates for emerging professional opportunities and for the needs of Palestinian society.

Palestinian Minister of Education and Higher Education, Professor Amjad Barham, described the agreement as marking the effective launch of the new faculties covered by the partnership. He welcomed the significant addition to Bethlehem University’s academic offering and thanked Mr. Harazeen for his sustained investment in Palestinian education.

The Minister also placed the day in its wider context: the exceptional challenges facing Palestinian education, including the destruction of universities in Gaza and attacks on educational institutions in the West Bank. Achievements like this one, he said, demonstrate Palestinians’ determination to uphold their right to education and keep developing their institutions despite adversity.

Brother Hernán thanked Sapienza Rector Professor Antonella Polimeni for opening new academic opportunities to Palestinian students, and Mr. Harazeen for his commitment to ensuring that young Palestinians can access education of international quality.

The Bethlehem University delegation included Brother Hernán, Brother Jack Curran, FSC, Vice President for Advancement, and Dr. Fadi Kattan, Executive Vice President. Among the guests was H.E. Issa Kassissieh, Palestinian Ambassador to the Holy See and a Bethlehem University graduate, together with other Palestinian and international leaders. The wider agreement also includes Al-Quds University, which will establish its own Hamad Harazeen Faculty of Technology and Artificial Intelligence.

The signing is a beginning. Bringing the new faculty to life will take further investment in laboratories, equipment, faculty development and scholarships, so that talented students can take their place regardless of their family’s means. The foundation laid by Khair Inc. makes this the right moment for others to join.

Help open the door

This partnership opens a path for young Palestinians to earn internationally recognized degrees while remaining rooted in their homeland. Bethlehem University is now building the faculty, laboratories and scholarships that will make that path real for students who could not otherwise afford it.