A team from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), led by Professor Chang Zhu, attended the kick-off meeting of the “Reforming the Governance of PhD Programs at Palestinian Higher Education Institutions” (PhDGOV) project. The meeting took place from October 21 to 23, 2024, at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. The event marked the start of a collaborative effort to reform and enhance PhD governance in Palestinian higher education institutions.
The meeting included an introduction to the project’s goals, presentations by all partners, and detailed sessions reviewing the work packages and project governance. The VUB team’s contributions were well-received, particularly their involvement in WP3, which highlighted their commitment to delivering effective training programs and online modules that will be central to the project's success.
The VUB team was comprised of Professor Chang Zhu, Professor Karen François, postdoctoral researcher Dr. Zainab Zomlot, and Dr. Yujie Xue. Dr. Zainab Zomlot represented the VUB team in discussions related to WP3, a key part of the project for which VUB holds responsibility. The VUB project team outlined the work plan for WP3 and the collaboration mechanism with other WPs and all project partners. Professor Karen François, based on the experience of the Doctoral Schools of VUB, also provided valuable insights and suggestions for the project’s development.
This PhDGOV kick-off meeting was a critical step in setting up collaborative work among partners, paving the way for future initiatives aimed at improving PhD governance in Palestinian higher education institutions.
