"Being a University in Gaza" Panel at BAU: Right to Education and Academic Solidarity Discussed

Within the scope of the Science Café events, Bahçeşehir University hosted a panel discussion entitled “Being a University in Gaza” at the BAU South Campus. Held on 22 September 2026, the event addressed student and academic experiences in Gaza, maintaining education under crisis conditions, the right to education, and the importance of international academic solidarity. The opening address of the panel was delivered by BAU Rector Prof. Dr Esra Hatipoğlu.

Moderated by TOSAM Director Prof. Dr Nilüfer Narlı, the programme featured Dr Amir Lafi, President of the Palestinian Journalists Association, journalist Cahide Hayrunnisa Çiçek, and Maisara Al Qishawi, Public Relations Manager at the Islamic University of Gaza, as panellists. Palestinian academics Dr Nihad Abdunnasser and Dr Zahir Elbeyk joined the event via an online connection.

Speaking at the opening, Prof. Dr Esra Hatipoğlu drew attention to the vulnerabilities faced by higher education during periods of conflict and humanitarian crisis. Emphasising the significance of sustaining academic life in terms of preserving collective memory, intellectual accumulation, and future opportunities, Hatipoğlu pointed out the responsibility of universities to support the right to education and foster international academic solidarity.

The role of journalism and academia in preserving social memory was also raised during the panel. Cahide Hayrunnisa Çiçek emphasised the importance of Palestinian journalists and academics being able to share their experiences with the international public. Meanwhile, Dr Amir Lafi provided insights into the current state of the educational infrastructure in Gaza and the difficulties students face in accessing education.

Maisara Al Qishawi, Public Relations Manager at the Islamic University of Gaza, also spoke about the university’s history and the conditions it has faced in recent years. Al Qishawi stated that despite severe damage to the physical infrastructure, efforts were made to sustain educational activities through online methods, followed by steps taken towards a return to face-to-face education.

Joining online, Dr Nihad Abdunnasser recounted the travel and return challenges faced by students leaving Gaza to study abroad, drawing on his own experiences. The panel also evaluated academics' efforts to maintain educational activities under harsh conditions and discussed the areas of international support required.

Organised at the BAU Campus, the “Being a University in Gaza” panel highlighted the role of higher education during crisis periods through diverse testimonies and academic perspectives. The event established a shared platform for discussion on safeguarding the right to education, the sustainability of academic life, and the development of solidarity between universities.