University of Pisa academic support for Palestinian students

The University of Pisa has expanded its academic support for Palestinian students through various international cooperation initiatives.

Engy Abdelal, a student from Gaza who previously documented life in the Gaza Strip for L’Espresso, arrived in Italy to enroll in a Master’s degree program in Peace Sciences. Her relocation was facilitated by an eleven-month mobilization involving editorial staff and supporters.

Under the ‘Pisa for Peace’ project, a formal agreement has been signed between the City of Pisa, the Province of Pisa, the University of Pisa, and the regional agency for the right to study to support two students from Jericho, Tala Isaid and Amin Fetyani. The agreement provides scholarships and living support to facilitate their studies in Pisa.

The academic path is scheduled to begin in the 2026/2027 academic year with Italian language training at the University’s Linguistic Center to reach the required B2 level. The students aim to enter a medical surgery program in the 2027/2028 academic year, though the initiative includes provisions for other scientific courses should the medical path prove unfeasible.

This initiative builds upon the twinning relationship between Pisa and Jericho established in 2000. During the signing ceremony, Father Ibrahim Faltas, director of the Custodia di Terra Santa schools, noted that since 2002, approximately 300 Palestinian students have had the opportunity to study in Italy through similar collaborative projects.