On Tuesday, 13 April Dr. Ali Abdelhamid, Head of the Urban and Regional Planning Unit and the Department of Urban Planning Engineering at An-Najah, obtained membership in the International Society of City and Regional Planners(ISOCARP).

Dr. Abdelhamid is the first Palestinian to obtain membership in this association, reflecting his broad academic and professional experience dating back to 1988, both locally and internationally.

His experience in the field of Urban Planning includes participating in many events and activities worldwide, supervising research projects and MA theses, contributing to the foundation of the MA Programme in Urban and Regional Planning at An-Najah in 1997, the Center of Regional and Urban Planning in 1988, and the BSC programme in Urban Planning Engineering in 2011.

This membership will allow for communication with the other members to exchange knowledge and expertise and participate in the events organised by the Association, the most important of which is the Annual Conference which brings together members from 80 countries around the world.

As Dr. Abdelahimid stated that “this membership will give the students and instructors in the Urban Planning Department at An-Najah the chance to come into contact with fellow departments around the world and exchange ideas, especially as they are preparing to start an Urban Planning  Engineering Association at An-Najah”.

Dr. Amer Hammouz, Dean of Engineering and Information Technology at An-Najah, congratulated Dr. Abdelahamid for his achievement, wishing him good luck in pursuing his academic and professional career. He also thanked him for his continued efforts in developing the profession of Urban Planning in Palestine and refining the newly founded department at An-Najah.

Notes:

1-    The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) is a non-governmental International association of professional planners. Founded in 1965, it currently has individual and institutional members from more than 80 countries. ISOCARP is formally recognised by the UN and Council of Europe and has a formal consultative status with UNESCO.

2-    An-Najah’s Department of Urban Planning Engineering was founded in 2011 and is the first of its kind in Palestine. It seeks to play an entrepreneurial role in the field by producing well trained cadres who are capable of meeting the needs of both the public and the private sectors.