On Tuesday, November 8, 2016, the PPU made a ceremony to honor the winners of the Palestine Islamic Award for scientific research, which was sponsored by Palestine Islamic Bank (PIB). This activity has been conducted for the first time at the Palestinian universities and held on the PPU campus. It was attended by Mr. Marwan Sultan, the Governor Deputy of Hebron governorate, Mr. Bayan al-Qasem, the General Director of the PIB, Hebron branch, Duha al-Wazni, the Director of the Public Relations of the PIB, Nizar Bali, the Director of the PIB, Hebron branch, Dr. Imad al-Khateeb, the PPU President and his vice- presidents, the deans of colleges, members of both the academic and administrative bodies, and a large number of attendees from public and private institutions in Hebron district.
This award has come from the belief of both Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU) and Palestine Islamic Bank of the entrepreneurial role of the two institutions to support scientific research and encourage the researchers at the Palestinian universities. This award also comes as an interpretation to the strategic vision of both the institutions to support the authentic and distinguished scientific research. In this year’s competition, a number of researchers from the different Palestinian universities applied for all the various award categories.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the university president: Dr. Imad al-Khatib welcomed the guests and stressed the PIB’s interest in scientific research and its inclination to support the education sector, particularly the scientific research, and to encourage the researchers by offering them valuable prizes. As well he considered their support to the scientific research an important gesture to be reinforced in all the economic and investment levels in Palestine, since funding and support are essential for the advancement of the Palestinian scientific research. Then he thanked the PIB for its permanent support to the PPU in all forums,
The Director of the Palestine Islamic Bank Mr. Bayan al-Qasem pointed out that the PIB top priority is to support the education sector and the higher education, especially in scientific research in order to build a new generation, capable of achieving progress based on awareness and knowledge. Therefore, the bank allocates 35% of its budget for community purposes to support the education sector which will in turn help to have qualified academics with high capabilities to build our country, Palestine. He added that the support of scientific research is an important way to achieve a sustainable development and to open up prospects for the development of the community by supporting the researchers and awarding them for their great efforts. He also said that supporting the scientific research will reduce the unemployment rate, resulting from the harassment of the Israeli occupation, to more than 41% among 20 to 24 year-olds.
As well , Mr. Marwan Sultan, the Governor Deputy of Hebron Governorate also stressed the importance of making authentic scientific research and the need to support it by all the sectors of the local community.
Then the PPU Dean of the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Dr. Murad Abu Sbeih, gave details of the Award by saying that the university has formed an internal committee for this award and another consisting of representatives from different Palestinian universities. This committee has included Dr. Zaki Saleh, Dr. Murad Abu Sbeih, and Dr. Mutaz Quttob to evaluate and assess the submitted researches. These committees in the past few months studied the applications and determined the winners according to specific evaluation criteria, based primarily on the quality of the research and the extent of its contribution to serve the Palestinian community.
The results of the scientific research awards submitted in accordance with the stated prize system by the PIB were as follows:
The First Award Category:
The first prize : US$3000 has gone to the researcher Hikmat Helal, from an-Najah University.
The second prize: US$2000 has gone to the two researchers: Tamer al-Khatib and Alfred Almenrayekh, from an-Najah University.
The third prize: US$1000 has been blocked for the noncompliance with conditions.
The Second Award Category:
The first prize : US$ 3000 has gone to the student: Suzan Sweiti and her supervisor: Dr. Amal Dweik, from Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU).
The second prize: US$2000 has gone to the student: Ibrahim Qasrawi and his supervisor: Dr. Mohammad Awad, from the Arab American University of Jenin.
The third prize: US$1000 has gone to the student Aseel Bassam Khail and her supervisor: Dr. Mohammad Mer’i, from the Arab American University.
The Third Award Category: The whole award which is worth US$2500 has been blocked for the noncompliance with conditions.
The Fourth Award Category: US$2500, equally divided between the two researchers: Dr. Rami Arafeh and Dr. Faisal Khamayseh, US$1250 for each.
The Fifth Award Category: US$3000 has gone to Programming Engineering group at Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU).
At the end of the ceremony, the Research Assessment Committee formed from different universities were honored and also the assessment committee were honored and given financial prizes.
Public Relations Department
