INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM: CHALLENGES FACING PALESTINIAN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.

• Author: Gerner, Deborah J.

INTRODUCTION

AS A NATION, PALESTINIANS ARE AMONG the best educated people in the post-colonial world, a status made all the more significant by the adverse conditions under which it has been achieved. Due to the Israeli occupation and the lack of an internationally recognized Palestinian state structure, however, Palestinian higher education has evolved thus far in an ad hoc fashion. At this critical moment in the process of Palestinian state-building, therefore, it is worthwhile to examine systematically a series of issues that will influence the future direction of Palestinian post-secondary education and in the twenty-first century. This paper has two purposes: first, to discuss some of the specific challenges that confronts Palestinian post-secondary educators at the present time and, second, to examine the implications of different choices that might be made.

A recent report by the Strategic Committee on the Future of Palestinian Higher Education articulates several broad objectives of Palestinian higher education--providing knowledge, "enhancing students' intellectual capabilities and the ability to conduct research and investigations,. . . maintaining Arab/Islamic culture and consolidating its values to instill objectivity, democracy, and respect for others" -- as well as one critical specific objective: "We consider that one of the most important priorities of higher education. . . is [to contribute to] Palestinian national integration and development." [1] In addition, the report recommends that priority be given to assuring widespread access to higher education, increasing both the quality and relevance and course work, and developing appropriate research institutions that can address societal needs. [2]

To a significant degree, these goals are similar to those of any educational system; some, however, reflect the particular Palestinian situation. Thus, the opportunities and challenges facing Palestinian post-secondary education need to be understood within several distinct but overlapping contexts: global trends in higher education, issues common to higher education in many post-colonial, newly independent countries, and the unique aspects of higher education in Palestine, given its specific history of occupation, the intifada, and current state-building activities. We will focus primarily on the specific Palestinian context but will make reference to the other two dimensions when this is useful to avoid notions of Palestinian exceptionalism. [3]

CRITICAL CHALLENGES AND DECISIONS

For a variety of reasons, Western academic models have come to dominate post-secondary educational institutions throughout the world:

The fact that the Western University institutionalized the study of science and later its production is a key factor. The link between universities and the dominant world economic systems no doubt is a particularly important reason for Western domination. For significant parts of the world, academic institutions were imposed by colonizers. There were few possibilities to develop independent alternatives. In many cases, traditional indigenous institutional forms were destroyed by the colonizers, as in India when in the nineteenth century the British imposed European patterns and no longer recognized existing traditional institutions. [4]

This pattern has significant implications in the Palestinian setting. First, the existing structure of higher education follows, with only a few exceptions, "Western" models (although a mixture of approaches -- primarily U.S., British, and French -- are followed). This is true whether the institutions were initially established by groups from outside of Palestine (e.g., Bethlehem University), by private citizens within Palestine (e.g., Birzeit), or by a quasi-governmental authority (e.g., Al-Quds Open University). In some ways, this is surprising, since Arab higher education dates back more than a thousand years. Writing about the Arab world in general, Byron G. Massialas comments:

Although there were indigenous historical antecedents to present-day higher education institutions in Arab lands.... [The] cultural heritage of Arab Islamic civilization has not, on the whole, contributed much to the identities of modem universities in the Arab world. We cannot refer to an Arab-style university as we do to British-, French-, or American-style universities. The discontinuities in the history of higher education in the region probably played a significant role in the loss of the early Arab-Islamic educational character and traditions. [5]

Thus, there are both region-specific and general explanations for this orientation toward Western approaches to post-secondary education in Palestine. Second, a large number of Palestinians, particularly among the elite, attended Western institutions in Europe and North America. If past trends continue, these individuals will want their children to receive a similar type of education. This educational conservatism is encouraged by the Palestinian status as a displaced population. Education is perceived as an attractive investment because it cannot be taken away: Palestinians around the world have found that education provides one of the best guarantees that they will be able to earn an income under adverse circumstances. The fact that Palestinians see education as a necessity rather than a luxury means, however, that they are likely to be very cautious about it: Most will seek educational credentials that are widely acceptable, which again points to following the Western model in most circumstances.

For these reasons, Palestinian higher education is not building from a blank slate, as is the case for many other institutions being developed by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Instead, there is a substantial base of existing, if incomplete, institutions and, equally important, a base of expectations among the political elite for what a system of higher education should look like.

At the same time, however, the Western model has considerable diversity, as can already be seen in the mixture of programs found in the various universities within Palestine. Furthermore, changes in the social, political, and economic environment of Palestine will modify the parameters within which education operates, for instance by de-emphasizing the role of education in providing a financial safety net for displaced persons and instead focusing on local and regional needs. Finally, as numerous scholars have pointed out, it is essential to keep in mind that "imitation or the reproduction of foreign models is in itself a kind of cultural dependency, and imitation that borrows only the form without paying attention to the spirit behind it cannot function correctly; sooner or later, stagnation occurs or great harm is caused." [6]

PROFESSIONAL VERSUS LIBERAL EDUCATION

One of the first questions that Palestinian policy makers are addressing is the balance between professional and liberal arts education. Professional education focuses on specific knowledge that is directly relevant to a student's intended career; examples of professional fields include engineering, computer science, law, education, medicine, and business. A liberal arts education, in contrast, concentrates on teaching the skill of learning through a concentration on topics that are not directly relevant to the careers of most students (such as literature, social studies, or the pure sciences). Virtually all modern universities combine both types of study and most programs include some liberal arts training even if they are primarily professional in orientation. Nonetheless, the issue of the relative balance between professional and liberal arts training remains contentious.

Because of the precarious economic status of many Palestinians, higher education in Palestine has often focused on professional education:

In spite of the hardships and the impossibility of any central or national planning, by the early 1970s the number of Palestinians studying in universities in proportion to their population as a whole was among the highest in the world. The goal of education was simple and clear: getting degrees in order to get jobs. The types of degrees that Palestinians sought were determined by the professions, areas of specialization, and types of jobs that were available, mainly in neighboring Arab countries. [As a result,] certain crucial needs [of the Palestinian community] . . . were neglected. [7]

This again reflects the educational conservatism we discussed above: If a university degree is to provide economic security, individuals may well conclude it is important to invest in fields such as medicine, engineering, or education (teaching) where the likelihood of finding employment outside the country is high.

If the experience of Europe and North America is an appropriate guide, future Palestinian independence is likely to lead to an increased demand for liberal arts education. The general skills of a liberal arts graduate tend to be relevant to managerial positions, from which Palestinians have frequently been excluded in the past due both to restrictions on economic development in occupied Palestine and to political considerations in the Palestinian Diaspora. With the removal of constraints on economic activities in areas under Palestinian political control, more managerial jobs should become available. While the liberal arts degree does not provide the short-term economic payoffs of a professional degree, it actually provides greater economic returns in the long run: In the United States, the average income of undergraduate liberal arts majors exceeds the average income of undergraduate professional majors by about age forty. [8]

Another calculation relevant to the balance of professional versus liberal arts education involves cost. The marginal costs...