Bethlehem University took a significant step towards promoting sustainable energy education by signing a partnership agreement with the Salesians of Don Bosco Middle East Province on 10 July 2023. The agreement grants Bethlehem University access to the facilities of the Salesian Industrial School in Bethlehem to implement the Sustainable Energy Engineering Program.
Brother Peter Bray, Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem University, and Father Pietro Bianchi, Provincial Economer of the Salesians of Don Bosco Middle East Province, signed the agreement. Also present were Dr. Iman Saca, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Fadi Kattan, Dean of the Shukri Ibrahim Dabdoub Faculty of Business Administration, Father Alejandro Jose Leon Mendoza, Regional Superior of the Salesian Middle East, and Father Gianni Caputa, Vicar of the Salesian Convent in Bethlehem.
During the event, Brother Peter emphasized the profound positive impact of this partnership on the institutions in Bethlehem, enhancing the quality of education for Bethlehem University students.
Father Bianchi echoed the sentiment and underscored the strategic importance of this collaboration, envisioning a bright future for both institutions. This partnership will foster global networking opportunities through the Salesians’ extensive connections in technical education and Bethlehem University’s reputation in higher education.
The agreement is geared towards empowering Palestinian youth by offering contemporary programs aligned with the evolving needs of the Palestinian job market. Notably, the Salesian of Don Bosco operates several universities worldwide, providing similar programs that will contribute valuable expertise to the development of the Sustainable Energy Engineering Program.
The Faculty of Applied Sciences, Technology, and Engineering at Bethlehem University has received accreditation from the National Commission for Accreditation and Quality in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for the Bachelor of Sustainable Energy Engineering program.
The program, which was developed in cooperation with the Shukri Ibrahim Dabdoub Faculty of Business Administration at Bethlehem University and in partnership with the Salesians of Don Bosco Middle East Province, is scheduled to commence in the upcoming academic year 2023-2024, offering a range of opportunities for students to pursue a career in sustainable energy engineering, an essential field with a global focus on renewable energy technologies.