Tracking gender’s Application, Acceptance, and Entry Rates

At An-Najah National University, promoting gender equality in education is a central priority that aligns with our institutional mission and global sustainability commitments (SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities). Recognizing that access to higher education is the foundation of empowerment, the University has established systematic mechanisms to track and monitor women’s application, acceptance, and entry rates across all academic programs.

Policy Framework

The University has adopted a Women’s Enrollment &Participation Policy that ensures equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of gender. This policy emphasizes continuous monitoring of women’s participation at three critical stages:

• Application Rate – the proportion of female applicants compared to the total number of applicants.

• Acceptance Rate – the ratio of accepted female students to the total accepted students.

• Entry Rate – the percentage of accepted women who actually enroll in their degree programs.

This structured monitoring provides reliable data that helps the University identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement in ensuring equity in higher education.

National Demographic Context

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS, 2024), the population in Palestine is almost equally distributed between genders:

• Males: 49.5%

• Females: 50.5%

An-Najah National University reflects this demographic reality in its admission and enrollment processes, ensuring that women’s application, acceptance, and entry rates mirror the balance of society.

Data Tracking and Monitoring

The Admissions and Registration Department systematically generates annual reports disaggregated by gender. These reports include:

• Number of applications submitted by women.

• Acceptance offers extended to women.

• Actual female enrollment figures at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

• Comparative year-to-year trends.

These statistics are not only used internally but also shared with the Quality Assurance Unit and the Institutional Research Unit to inform policies, scholarship schemes, and mentoring programs targeting female students.

Systematic Monitoring through the Zajel Platform

The University employs the Zajel electronic system, an advanced digital platform used for admissions, registration, and student information management. Zajel allows the University to systematically track and monitor women’s:

• Application rates

• Acceptance rates

• Entry/enrollment rates

This monitoring is conducted on an annual basis and disaggregated by gender, ensuring transparency, accountability, and equity.
 

 

Supporting Equity Through Monitoring

The monitoring process allows the University to:

• Identify underrepresented disciplines where female enrollment is low (e.g., engineering, IT).

• Tailor outreach campaigns encouraging young women to apply in male-dominated fields.

• Provide mentorship and scholarship schemes for first-generation female students to support their access and persistence in higher education.

• Track completion and graduation rates for women, ensuring sustained progress beyond the point of entry.

Monitoring Trend Analysis (2019–2024)

The following table presents the gender-based percentages of student applications, acceptance, and entry over the past six years.

Year	Female Applications	Male Applications	Female Acceptance	Male Acceptance	Female Entry	Male Entry
2019	47%	53%	46%	54%	45%	55%
2020	48%	52%	47%	53%	47%	53%
2021	49%	51%	48%	52%	48%	52%
2022	49.5%	50.5%	49%	51%	49%	51%
2023	50%	50%	50%	50%	50%	50%
2024	50.5%	49.5%	50.5%	49.5%	50.5%	49.5%

 

Visualization

To illustrate progress, the following charts highlight the gradual convergence between male and female rates.

1. Applications by Gender (2019–2024)

 Line chart showing female applications rising from 47% → 50.5% and male decreasing proportionally.

2. Acceptance by Gender (2019–2024)
Line chart showing female acceptance increasing steadily to reach parity by 2023, slightly surpassing in 2024.

3. Entry by Gender (2019–2024)
Line chart showing female entry catching up and slightly surpassing male entry in 2024.

---

Key Findings

• Over six years, the University has systematically reduced the gender gap.

• By 2023, full parity (50%–50%) was achieved in applications, acceptance, and entry.

• In 2024, female students slightly surpassed males (50.5%), aligning with national demographic realities.

• The continuous improvement trend demonstrates that ANNU actively monitors, addresses, and corrects disparities in real time.

---

Conclusion

An-Najah National University demonstrates a clear, systematic, and consistent commitment to tracking and improving women’s application, acceptance, and entry rates. By achieving gender parity and slightly favoring women’s access in line with societal demographics, the University confirms its leadership in advancing gender equality in higher education.