In the newly opened Auditorium of Prince Turki Bin Abdul Aziz, the University celebrated the inauguration of the new campus that was built with support from local and international donors. The University President, Prof. Rami Hamdallah, said, the university is celebrating the inauguration of the first phase of the new campus that cost 45 million dollars and the subsequent launching of the second phase. The second phase will include the construction of the gymnasium, mosque, restaurant, shops and physical education complex and is expected to cost in the region of 15 million dollars and be completed by 2008.
The new campus has ten faculties; human medicine, veterinary, pharmacy, engineering, information technology, science, law, fine arts, optometry, nursing and graduates studies. Prof. Hamdallah said that seven thousand students are studying at the new campus, with 1522 students graduating this year; He added that the Information Technology Institute will be opened shortly following the grant that had been obtained from the Korean Government for its construction.
The ceremony was opened with a short speech from the University President who welcomed President Abbas and everybody else who was attending. He thanked all of those who supported the construction of the new campus, including everyone who contributed financially whether it was with one thousand dollars or one million dollars.
President Abbas spoke about the history of An-Najah National University when it was a school in 1918, when students from as far as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia were coming here to study. He saluted the steadfastness of An-Najah in spite of the obstacles, and he also appreciated the investment made in education and human resources.
Mr. Salah Masri, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees mentioned the troubles encountered by the Israeli occupation when constructing the new University campus. He said how the old campus was just too small and was becoming overcrowded and the new campus was going to release this pressure. Enabling the University to admit more students in the coming few years. He also urged President Abbas and all the officials to pay more attention to the district of Nablus that is suffering from the tightened siege.
The University granted an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law to H.E. President Mahmoud Abbas as it has done in the past when recognising scientists, politicians and intellectuals who have made an outstanding contribution in the Palestinian community.
The ceremony was also attended by political, social and economic figures as well as some of the international consuls.