The Faculty of Optometry has been recently granted the full membership at the World Council of Optometry’s General Delegates Meeting that was held in Milan in May 2006 following the approval of the Governing Board Meeting last November.
The World Council of Optometry (WCO) is an international organization dedicated to the enhancement and development of eye and vision care worldwide. Representing over 50 countries, WCO serves as a forum for member organizations to respond to public health needs and opportunities around the world. Based in the United States, WCO is a unifying voice and catalyst for international projects and services that meet the needs of the optometric profession, ophthalmic industry and public they serve. The Dean of Faculty of Optometry, who represented the university in the conference is an active member in the World Council of Optometry and represents not only Palestine but also the region of the Middle East. The University is working on the establishment of a national Eye Care Program in Palestine that will serve both the University and the community and will integrate it in the efforts of the Vision 2020 -a global initiative to prevent avoidable blindness by the year 2020- under the auspices of the World Health Organization.