Call for Expression of Interest in Academic Partnership

 

For the creation of new MA in Criminal Law at An Najah National University and Al-Quds University as well as an MA in Economic and Financial Law at Birzeit University funded by and developed in cooperation with the European Union

West Bank, Palestine

 

Purpose for the Call:

 

Three Palestinian universities – An Najah National University, Birzeit University, and Al-Quds University – with the financial support of the European Union, have begun a project designed to create two new Masters degrees. One, at An Najah National University and Al-Quds University, will provide for specialisation in Criminal Law, and the other, at Birzeit University, will provide for a specialisation in Financial and Economic Law. In support of this endeavour, all three universities seek to improve their ties with academic institutions and legal scholars of the highest international academic standards to support this action implementation as affiliated entity(ies) and or associate(s).

The faculties of law of the three respective partner universities are undertaking an internal reform and capacity building process designed to combat deficiencies in the Palestinian legal education system and the Palestinian Judicial Sector by creating a domestic pipeline for the formation of highly specialised and competent legal professionals capable of contributing to a sustainable reform process. This ambitious goal is tied to the development of new curricula within the three universities and dependent upon ensuring the professional growth of Palestinian professors. Both programs aim to place an emphasis on practical skills, knowledge production, and community as well as policy-based research.

Key Subject Specialisations: Criminal Law, especially Gender and Criminal Law and International Criminal Law, International Humanitarian Law, Economic Analysis of Law, Customs and Business Taxation, Financial Stability and Economic Crisis, Conventional and Islamic Finance, and International Economic Law.

Important Information:

• Deadline for submission of expression of interest: 23 October 2013 at 17.00 hours, Any application received after this deadline will not be considered.
• Launch of first year of the respective Masters Degrees: January 2014
• Participation is open  to all  universities and/or other type of entities involved and specialised in the above indicated sectors, participating either individually or in a group (consortium), which are established in a Member State of the European Union or in a country or territory  of the regions covered and/or authorised by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (Regulation (EC) No 1638/2006 of the EP and of the Council — OJ L 310/1 of 9.11.2006) to be considered as affiliated entity(ies).  Other entities not fulfilling the above criteria could participate as associate(s).
• Additional information related to rules governing this selection (in line with the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EU external actions) is available from the following internet address: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/procedures/implementation/index_en.htm);

The selection of affiliated entity(ies) for this EU funded program, will be carried out via an Expression of Interest, to be submitted in free format, comprising as a minimum the following information: Name and details of the contact person, relevant subject specialisations, brief presentation of your institution, and possible programmatic ideas for receiving Palestinian scholars (if established) and/or in sending international legal scholars to the West Bank (per diem and round-trip airfare will be paid under the program budget).

Selected affiliated entity(ies) and/or associate(s) must sign the affiliated entity(ies) statements as indicated in the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EU external actions and as well as complete their registration in PADOR (available from the following Internet address:

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/procedures/implementation/index_en.htm);

The universities of An Najah National University, Birzeit University, and Al-Quds University, will select a limited number of affiliated entity(ies) and/or associate(s) according to program needs and applicant provided information. Applicants to this call for Expression of Interest will not, therefore, automatically be selected. All applicants, within one month from the submission date, will be informed of the results of the selection. Selected applicants will be contacted to provide for the necessary steps to be considered eligible as affiliated entity(ies) and/or associate(s), and the final confirmation will be provided after approval provided by the European Commission services.

 

Contact:

Send your electronic Expression of Interest to:

Program Coordination Unit Director

PCU.EU@najah.edu