Researcher Ghassan Mohammed Al-Sheikh Ibrahim, a student in the Master's Program in Conflict Resolution, has defended his thesis titled: "The Role of the Palestinian University in Promoting the Concept and Mechanisms of the Inclusive Environment among its Students: The Arab American University as a Model".

The study aims to identify the concept of the inclusive environment from an academic and student perspective in a way that serves the Palestinian university today, and to review this concept theoretically by studying the existing literature and global experiences and reproducing it in a way that suits the Palestinian environment. Then, study the relationship between all components of the university environment, such as student blocs, their symbols and leaders, and the consequences of that on the university atmosphere and social and national harmony among students, and investigate the role of the Palestinian university in promoting student and national identity as well as its administrative and strategic role in light of local, national and cultural variables.

The importance of this study comes as an academic, cultural and national necessity in light of the current circumstances that Palestinian universities are going through and the variables intertwined in the national situation in general. There is also an urgent need to study the role of Palestinian universities and their responsibilities in working to provide an appropriate and safe inclusive environment for their students and finding mechanisms to develop this inclusive environment and its positive impact on the university and students. This is in addition to involving students and student groups in shaping the features of the inclusive environment in Palestinian universities, considering that they are a main component of the university campus.   

This study adopts the qualitative analytical methodology, whereby it is based on collecting primary data from its sources, then describing and analyzing it with the aim of understanding and achieving the ability to predict so as to develop what may be necessary from those scenarios to define the inclusive environment, relying on primary and secondary sources and using the research questionnaire and interviews as primary research instruments. This is in addition to conducting a series of structured interviews with students inside the University and with the University administration, especially those familiar with the University environment, student activities and student movement in particular and in general.

The study recommends the importance of investing in diversity in cultural programs and activities in university life and not limiting them to some political activities and traditional events, in addition to developing the educational method and adopting interactive, inclusive education based on collective achievement that simulates the interests and capabilities of students and urging Palestinian university administrations to develop a system of control and effective and continuous communication with students through various platforms and effective tools. This is to contribute to solving cultural problems radically and adopting an inclusive environment, and reviewing and developing the performance of student blocs in Palestinian universities and moving away from the traditional pattern in implementing programs and activities.

The thesis was supervised by Dr. Amjad Bani Shamsah. The examination committee included Dr. Fadi Juma and Dr. Suhail Salha.