Scholarships for Palestinian students and researchers: the call is now open

Fifteen young Palestinians will finally be able to fulfil their dream: enroling at the University of Florence and completing the course of study interrupted by the conflict that, for more than two years, has devastated Gaza and disrupted lives also in the occupied territories of the West Bank.

This opportunity stems from the campaign promoted by Unicoop Firenze and the Fondazione Il Cuore si scioglie, in collaboration with the University of Florence, the Islamic Community of Florence and Tuscany, the Giorgio La Pira International Student Centre, and the Giovanni Paolo II Foundation. The campaign was joined by the Tuscany Region and the Regional Agency for the Right to University Education of Tuscany (DSU Toscana). The initiative in support of study raised 305,443 euros between December and January.

Unifi has opened the call to identify the students who will receive the scholarships: in total, ten students will be selected, eight of whom will receive scholarships for first level - bachelor’s degree programmes and two for single cycle master’s degree programmes. In addition, five one‑year scholarships will be awarded to researchers.

According to the agreement signed by the partners of the initiative, the scholarships will be awarded through a dedicated selection process: female and male students, as well as researchers with Palestinian citizenship who meet specific requirements, will be eligible to apply. As financial support, the University will provide scholarships amounting to 400 euros per month and an annual research grant of 4,800 euros.

Thanks to the extensive network of partners, the scholarships will also provide meals, accommodation, language courses, psychological support, health coverage, tutoring activities, and a local public transport pass. DSU Toscana will contribute to the initiative by covering the accommodation component.

The results were presented this morning at the Unicoop Firenze headquarters, in the presence of rector Alessandra Petrucci, Daniela Mori, chair of the Supervisory Board of Unicoop Firenze, and Izzedin Elzir, Imam of Florence. The meeting was also attended by Eugenio Giani, president of the Tuscany Region, Damiano Bettoni, president of the Giovanni Paolo II Foundation, and Marco Salvatori, president of the Giorgio La Pira International Student Centre.

'The participation of the University of Florence,’ stated rector Alessandra Petrucci, ‘is part of a series of initiatives aimed at supporting the right to education, inclusion, continuity in learning, and research opportunities for those coming from particularly fragile or complex situations. Being able to rely on the commitment of Unicoop Firenze, the Fondazione Il Cuore si scioglie, and the other partners has made it possible to turn principles into concrete projects: the University of Florence’s commitment is therefore amplified by the support provided by all those who contributed to achieving this result, both individually and collectively'.