According to abbreviationfinder, Al-Azhar University of Gaza is commonly known as AUG. Al-Azhar University of Gaza is a public university located in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian enclave governed by Hamas. Founded in 1991, it is the largest and oldest higher education institution in the region and one of the largest universities in Palestine.
The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in a variety of disciplines. Al-Azhar University is recognized by both the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research as well as by international accrediting bodies.
The university’s main campus is located in Gaza City and consists of five faculties: Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Law and Political Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Business Administration, Economics and Accounting. In addition to these faculties, Al-Azhar also has two branches located in Khan Younis and Rafah which offer courses related to engineering.
Al-Azhar has a diverse student body consisting of over 16000 students from all over Palestine including those from refugee camps. The university provides financial aid for students who cannot afford to pay tuition fees or living expenses for a period up to four semesters.
The university offers a wide range of academic programs including undergraduate degrees such as Bachelor’s degrees in Islamic Studies, Arabic Language & Literature, Law & Political Science, Humanities & Social Sciences; Graduate degrees such as Master’s degrees in Islamic Studies; Doctoral degrees such as PhDs in Islamic Studies; Diploma programs; Certificate programs; Vocational training programs; English language courses; Computer science courses; Media studies courses; Business administration courses; Psychology courses etc.
The university’s libraries contain more than 500000 books on various topics ranging from Islamic studies to humanities. The library system also includes online databases that provide access to thousands of books from around the world. The main library at Al-Azhar consists of seven floors with each floor dedicated to different subject areas such as law or economics etc., providing students with easy access to resources related to their field of study.
Al-Azhar University is known for its commitment towards research activities with faculty members conducting research on various topics related to their fields such as human rights issues or economic development plans for Gaza Strip etc. The research conducted at Al-Azhar has been published both nationally and internationally through journals or conferences organized by the university itself or other academic institutions worldwide.
In recent years Al-Azhar has partnered up with international universities such as Harvard University or Yale University offering its students exchange opportunities allowing them to gain valuable experience while studying abroad while simultaneously helping them gain an international perspective on their field of study which will be beneficial for them when they return home after completing their studies abroad.
Overall, Al-Azhar University provides its students with quality education which will help them pursue successful careers after graduation whether it be inside Palestine or abroad due to its commitment towards providing quality education along with its active involvement in research activities which contribute towards making it one of the leading higher education institutions not only within Palestine but also internationally due to its strong ties with some prestigious universities.
Notable alumni of Al-Azhar University of Gaza include:
• Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian political leader and Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.
• Fathi Hammad, former Minister of Interior in the Hamas government.
• Khaled Mashal, former Chairman of Hamas Political Bureau.
• Ahmed Youssef, former advisor to the Prime Minister in the Hamas Government and current Director General of Al-Jazeera Children’s Channel.
• Ibrahim Abu Al-Naja, former Minister of Education in the Hamas Government.
• Abdel Aziz Al Rantisi, co-founder and senior leader of Hamas.
• Mohammed Abu Teir, former Palestinian minister and member of parliament
