Since the dawn of history, the world has witnessed repeated migrations, including voluntary and coercive, for various reasons and factors, the most important of which are wars and various natural disasters. One of the most prominent and important forced migrations in our region is the migration of Palestinian refugees from their towns and villages of origin to all parts of the world in the Nakba in 1948. The territory is currently experiencing a series of migrations resulting from internal wars and international interventions. Moreover, large parts of the world are recently experiencing new waves of migrations and asylums that are incompatible with human norms and values, religious and international charters, and laws as well. Therefore, the motives for launching the "Migration and Refugee Studies" MA program at An-Najah National University, which is consistent with the national strategy in education in Palestine, can be summarized as follows:

1. This program is of particular importance to the Palestinian people, as about half of them live in exile and diaspora.

2. There is an increase in the number of refugees in the world as a result of wars and disasters, particularly in the Arab region.

3. Attempts by the Zionist occupation to deny the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands from which they have been displaced.

4. A lack of awareness about refugees' human, social, political, and economic rights.

5. International and local institutions such as the Red Cross, USAID, UNRWA, and the Refugee Service need immigration and refugee specialists.

6. There are large waves of immigrants and refugees recently in the Arab region, especially after the so-called Arab Spring revolutions.

7. There is no just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue to date, despite the existence of the United Nations resolutions and international legitimacy concerning the right of return of Palestinian refugees to their displaced towns and villages also compensation for the material and psychological losses they have suffered since the Nakba until now.

8. There is a major scientific, social and political debate within the corridors of the international community, especially in the European Union, on the subject of legal and illegal migration, the challenges they face as a result of receiving migrants and refugees in their territories, and how to integrate them into society.

9. Opening and activating new paths for the transmission of the Palestinian collective memory among the next Palestinian generations so that this memory remains alive and effective, especially among the children of mature university youth, who will study and write scientific research and produce knowledge on the issue of the Palestinian asylum.

Informing the Palestinian society about the calamities and catastrophes it has suffered through forced displacement is a priority to keep the Palestinian cause alive in the collective memory of all Palestinians at home and in the diaspora until the return of refugees and self-determination. Furtherly, knowledge of similar calamities and forced migrations to the region and the world is essential for Palestinians to interact with other societies, especially since the issue of asylum and migration is a global humanitarian issue that calls on all of us to look into it.

General objectives:

1. Provide relevant sectors and institutions with qualified scientific staff in the field of refugee studies.

2. Develop the ability of students to deal with the huge data of refugees in the world.

3. Give students data collection skills from various sources.

4. Develop the ability of students to conduct field and applied studies on refugees.

5. Give students skills to use UN refugee programs.

6. Communicate the problems of refugees to the competent authorities locally, regionally, and internationally.

Specific objectives:

1. Create jobs for graduates in light of high unemployment rates among university graduates.

2. Keep refugee issues alive, especially the issue of Palestinian refugees.

3. Learn about the living conditions of Palestinian refugees inside the Palestinian camps.

4. Try to stabilize, empower and integrate the Palestinian refugees into the Palestinian society.