Al-Quds Bard College and Invisible University for Ukraine Awarded Top Honors in the 2024 MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship
Photos courtesy of Talloires Network of Engaged Universities
One of the remarkable milestones that have brought AQB to win this prize is the strategic academic partnership built with the Qatar Scholarship Education Above All Foundation (EAA) in 2021. EAA provides scholarships to outstanding students who are significantly marginalized to enable them to attend Al-Quds Bard. These scholarship recipients are at the heart of this work: 85% of the student leaders of the civic engagement projects recognized in the MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship were Qatar Scholarship Education Above All Al-Quds Bard scholars. This partnership has a substantial civic engagement component and has empowered EAA-AQB scholars to earn this prestigious prize, despite the extraordinary challenges that they face.
“At a moment of intense challenge for the Palestinian people, Al-Quds Bard students have risen to the occasion and renewed their longtime commitment to civic engagement,” said Daniel Terris, Dean of Al-Quds Bard College. “I am grateful to Education Above All and the Talloires Network, and I am proud that the MacJannet Prize has honored our students’ steadfast commitment to principled action on behalf of their besieged communities.”
Rana Hajjaj, Director of Middle East Development at Bard College, stated that “Al-Quds Bard (AQB) recognizes the outsized role that the MacJannet Foundation and the EAA Foundation play in enabling the AQB community to showcase its agency, which is often exercised under painful circumstances. The AQB community is grateful for their support and solidarity.”
The AQB Civic Engagement Program considers civic engagement a fundamental and inseparable part of a liberal arts education. The Program aims to increase the capacity of the College to operate in the public interest by supporting faculty and students to link classroom and community, and enabling students with the theory and skills to be civically engaged, to develop and organize projects to bring about meaningful and positive changes in society, and to realize their full potential as community actors and educators in shaping their future, the future of Palestine, and the world. Student-led civic engagement activities included educational and social initiatives in support of the elderly, individuals with special needs, orphans, and marginalized communities across the West Bank.
Despite the grave challenges faced by young people in Palestine, Al-Quds Bard College was determined to maintain a lively civic engagement program, developing a Student Network for Civic Engagement. Launched in February 2024 in coordination with the student leaders and the Steering Committee on Civic Engagement, this initiative serves as an online network coordinating between in-person student work based in various regions and cities.
The Invisible University for Ukraine (IUFU) at Central European University (Austria) is the Second-Place Prize winner of the 2024 MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship. The Invisible University for Ukraine (IUFU) is a student-led hybrid academic program in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Through accredited online courses, immersive in-person seminars, and a vibrant peer learning community, IUFU empowers Ukrainian students to continue their studies and pursue their aspirations, regardless of their location or circumstances. With a focus on complementing existing educational infrastructure, IUFU strengthens ties between Ukrainian institutions and global networks, countering the effects of brain drain. With students at the forefront of program design and delivery, IUFU cultivates resilience, academic excellence, and the development of future leaders in the face of adversity.
The Invisible University for Ukraine emerged as a collaborative effort among scholars, aiming to extend the university's academic environment to Ukrainian students and scholars following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Recognizing the importance of involving Ukrainian experts, the program seeks to establish a global platform for scholarly dialogue amidst the ongoing conflict.
Established as a platform for scholarly exchange, IUFU embodies CEU’s commitment to academic excellence and global engagement. By empowering students and scholars amidst adversity, the program strives to foster resilience, innovation, and the advancement of knowledge within Ukraine and beyond.
Post Date: 10-02-2024