CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE 10022 1011 First Avenue, New York, N.Y

Pp- 44e '-4a3 -at CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE 10022 1011 First Avenue, New York, N.Y. 224241 and 667207 CATHWEL New York * Telexes: Telephone: (212) 838-4700 * Cable: .hmn J. Norris Msgr. Andrew P.Landl I DincrO Edwin B. Broderick. 0. D. I Rev. Director Asuitintto the Executive Most Rev.Exeutive Director Ausistant Executive PROJECT TITLE- Laboratory Building Bethlehem University Science PROJECT LOCATION- eight on the highest hill in Bethlehem, The University is located kilometers south of Jerusalem 1VO NAME AND LOCATION: - U.S.C.C. Catholic Relief Services 1011 First Avenue 10022 New York, New York CONTACT PERSON: Rev. Robert L. Charlebois Special Assistant - U.S.C.C. Catholic Relief Services 1011 First Avenue 10022 New York, New York TO BE ADMINISTERED BY: for Association/Pontifical Mission Catholic Near East Welfare Palestine FIELD SUPERVISOR. Mr. Constantin C. Vlachopoulos PROJECT SUPERVISOR: S.J., Ph.D. Rev. Donald L. Magnetti, Association Catholic Near East Welfare 1011 First Avenue New York, New York 10022 DATE OF SUBMISSION: December 9, 1976 THE AMERICAN BISHOPS AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE OFFICIAL OVERSEAS RELIEF INDEX I. BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY SII. STUDENT BODY III. ACADEMIC ORrANIZATION BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY IV. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR AID V. UNIVERSITY SPONSORSHIP AND INTERNATIONAL PLANNING AND PROCEDURES VI. BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT VII. THlE SCIENCE LABORATORY BUILDING BUILDING COST VIII. BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY SCIENCE LABORATORY ESTIMATES BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY Institution: Bethlehem University was founded in 1Q73 as a non-denominational Brothers with an indigenous Arabic university, administered by American Christian for its initial equipment, faculty. It is totally dependent on voluntary resources of existing accommodation, building programs and development. Full details in the project outline to follow. funding agencies involved, etc., will be given the present time; about 200 347 students are enrolled as full time students at students are enrolled in the teachers' college program. a science build Aid is requested from USAID for the construction of ing for the university. Background Information on Bethlehem University: West Bank...yet There are approximately 650,000 people living on the There were 5-6,000 students there was until relatively recently no university. go for higher education. They graduating from secondary schools...but nowhere to little if any possibility of could apply for colleges in the Arab world but had quotas. They could apply for gaining entrance, mainly because there were rigid an enrollment of 50,000, but all one of the seven universities in Israel, which had Israeli students applying, the courses were in ilebrew and there were long lines of coUld apply overseas, to America or Europe, So there' was lIt t I e hope there. They they did get accepted, few, if any, utit chances wore small of getting in...and if before the American Brothers ever came hom , o live again. This was the situation of the Holy See, to found of Christian Schools were sent, at the specific request the University of Bethlehem in 1973. students applied The classes were set up in September, 1973, and 400 few weeks, the enrollment was for the first 50 openings. By the end of the first two with Ph.D's, 13 with M.A.'s. allowed to rise to 80. There were 15 professors, but there was a lack of in 1974 there were 200 students. Hundreds more applied, professors are of all faiths funds. Courses are in Arabic and English, and the ecumenical in spirit, where and nationalities. It is a non-confessional school, whether it be Christian or Muslim. students are free to practice their own religion, an Order respected in the area But the direction is under the Christian Brothers, for well over a century by Muslims and Christians alike. of Bethlehem are The courses currently being given in the University also liberal arts, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, and biochemistry, courses in hotel management literature, modern languages, and fine arts. Advanced run along Swiss methods by two and business are also under way...the hotel school professors who studied some years in Switzerland. year. The September, 1976, was the beginning of the fourth academic faculty is now made up of 40 full- and part-time instructors. The aforementioned student-teachers are of interest. Prior to the opening of the University of Bethlehem, there were, as stated, no universities at all on the West Bank. There were, however, five small two-year institutions for education. Yet recent surveys turned up the following information: 55.3% of all teachers in West Bank schools are unqualified 10.1% of all teachers in West Bank schools have college degrees 76.4% of men principals of elementary schools are unqualified 80.5% of women principals of elementary schools are unqualified 71.7% of men principals of secondary schools are unqualified 96.3% of women principals of secondary schools are unqualified Add to those stunning figures the fact that in one school district It was recently found that 32% of the male population and 73% of the female pOpulilatLion were illiterate th, laLter figure having an appalling effect on lutollectual life ii the family), and it can he seen why the educational training ol t eachers is of primary importance for the University of Bethlehem to undertake for the future of the region. The West Bank is 90%Muslim, 10% Christian. The Muslim community is secure, homogeneous, the Christian community insecure, divided, threatened. There is a strong family and tribal solidarity, but many children seemed dStined to work abroad. It has been estimated that 80,000 sons of Bethlehem...which is five times the population of the town...live and work overseas! It has also been said that there is no comparable part of the world where talented young people hav'e heo so completely cut off from the chance of a local higher education. Before the 1967 invasion Jordan was pastoral, agricultural, artisanal, with small industries, a happy Arab country with writers, poets, historians, translators. There are virtually no technical schools, so specialized personnel are desperately needed. The UIniversity of Bethlehem is not political but Is considered regional In spirit. The current student population is made up of 60% Christian, 40% Muslim, mostly because so maiy of the students come from the Bethlehem area which is heavily Christian. That ratio will no doubt shift as the student enrollment builds up to the 1,000 students it anticipates by 1980. The curriculum is suited to the region in which it is located and not patterned after schools in the U.S. or Europe. It is intended that the students should be familiar with the problems of their community...the work projects, refugee relief schemes, social work agencies, and also that they serve in trainee periods in commerce and industry. They must be educated in their environment and to discover the value of service to others. As mentioned, the area is largely agricultural. There is only light manufacturing...clothing, furniture, housewares, preserved food, and crafts. Also there is the very important source of income: the tourist trade. Establishing the central local government means social workers, urban planners, community development experts, relief project supervisors, rural medical and nursing personnel, government administrators and researchers, education experts, and so on. The University of Bethlehem plans to train people in all these fields as soon as possible. -3 welfare, secretarial and for the immediate future are: social Envisaged schools school of hotel pre-engineering, and the newly planned translating, pre-medical, be greatly Classes for evenings and summers will administration and business. degrees. in the teaching field to obtain their expanded to help the teachers already and top administrators of private schools A recent survey showed that of 82 teachers in the area, two had college degrees! of Bethlehem are: student The sources of income for the University salaries and operating costs. The gifts, and subsidies. The expenses are tuition, by taking 300 students times student tuition is $90,000.00, estimated Income from a separate account and student-teacher arrangement is under $100.0 a Near. (The $25,000.00 is may affect the total. An estimated is minimal.) Money fluctuations are $260,000.00 a year, so the subsidy touiitt-d on each year as gifts. Expenses for FY'76, for example, reads as follows: would need to he $145,000.00. The breakdown Sources of Income . $120,000.00 2-5,000.00 GiftsStudent..................... income ...... .. ....... $145,000.00 $150,000.00 Subsidy ..... ........ ..... $295,000.00 Expenses ...$240,000.00 Salar ies .... .......... .............. Operating expenses (utilities, office supplies, library 0 0 0 0 0 books, equipment).....$55, . $295,000.00 is affected by the annual inflation Note: The University of Bethlehem, of course, rate of Israel which last year was 38%. up to 250 graduates a year, It is anticipated that the student body will build The first class will graduate in 1977. for a total of 1,000 enrolled at a time. be absorbed into the economy each year It is felt that 250 graduates can easily local needs of the area. based on the exhaustive studies of the Catalogue ATTACHMENT A - Bethlehem University STUDENT BODY St udt',nt : Th, hnivtrstty students comi from the entire West Banik area, with some applicants Irom the Gaza Strip. A number can be classified as refugees, while and a many others are extremely poor. Tuition is maintained at a minimum level, substantial scholarship program has been established. For the 1976-1977 academic year the Universit 4lll enroll approximately 500 full and part-time students. In five years time we can estimate that there will be approximately 1000 students attending the University. The number then graduating in any given year will not exceed 250 students.

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