On Monday, 2^nd March, 2015, a delegation from the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, visited An-Najah National University. The delegates met with the University’s representatives and signed an agreement to enhance academic mutual cooperation.

Prof. Maher Natsheh, Acting President, welcomed the visiting guests and went on to express his pride in the long standing relationship An-Najah has with the University of Naples. He said that the University is committed to provide the necessary support to achieve mutual benefits, and shed the light on the efforts implemented to develop academic programmes and to dispatch alumni students to pursue their higher studies, which in turn will provide more academic competencies.  

On his turn, Dr Raffaele Porta, Department of Chemical Sciences and Head of the delegation, expressed his pleasure in visiting the University and commended the hospitality and continuous support An-Najah has provided to Naples University. He further said that the University of Naples is committed to promoting and enriching the mutual cooperation with An-Najah.

During the meeting, discussions covered the implementation of the international joint degree programme in Food and Nutrition Sciences/ Food and Science Technology. Furthermore, the attendees talked about giving rise to the future possibility of scientific collaborations between research groups in the fields of Industrial Biotechnology and Food Science and Technology.

Furthermore, they discussed the possibility of initiating a doctorate programme in biotechnology, where the University of Naples’ will be hosting master students to pursue their higher studies in the field of Biotechnologies. This programme, which is the first in Palestine, covers various areas in pharmacy, agriculture, biology, chemistry and industrial engineering sciences  It  would enrich both the agricultural and private sectors.

On this visit, the Italian delegates will be spending a day at the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine meeting with Faculty and department staff and touring around the faculty labs and farms.

 Notes:

-          The University of Naples delegation included: Dr Raffaele Porta, Department of Chemical Sciences and Head of the delegation; Dr Gianluigi Mauriello, the Department of Agriculture; Professor Giovanni Sannia, Professor of Molecular Biology, Department of Chemical Sciences;Dr Sulieman Al-Khlil, Dean of Agriculture; and Dr Jehad Abdallah, Assistant Professor at the Department of Animal Production & Animal Health.
An-Najah’s welcoming delegation included: Mr Khaled Mufleh, Acting Director of Public Relations; Mr Alaa AbuDheir, Public Relations Officer; and Dalal Radwan, Office of International Development and External Affairs.

-          The University of Naples Federico II has a long standing relationship with An-Najah in the field of education and scientific research.