Hasanuddin University ready to send medical team to Palestine

Makassar, S Sulawesi (Antaranews Sulsel) - Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, plans to send its medical teams to help address health issues in Palestinian refugee camps and provides scholarships for Palestinian students who are studying at the university.

"Rector Prof. Dwia Aries Agustina wants Unhas to actively solve the world`s problems. Unhas will send medical doctors to handle health issues in the Palestinian refugee camps," Unhas` spokesperson Ishaq Rahman stated here on Monday.

The Unhas delegation, led by Rector Dwia Aries Tina Pulubuhu, visited Amman, Jordan, from May 18 to 22, 2018, in order to establish a cooperative relationship between the university and several Jordanian state universities, and offer help for Palestinian refugees in Jordan.

The rector was accompanied by members of the University Trustee Assembly, Prof. Idrus Paturusi, and Prof. Ansar Suyuti; Vice Chancellor Prof. Syamsul Bachri, University`s Secretary Prof Nasaruddin Salam, as well as several deans.

The former Indonesian ambassador to Jordan, who currently serves as vice chairman of the National Board of Zakat (Islamic alms) or Baznas, Zainulbahar Noor, was also included in the Indonesian delegation. He has been very active in facilitating the meeting of Unhas team with prominent figures in Jordan.

The Unhas delegation was received by Prince El-Hassan bin Talal at the Royal Scientific Society Building on May 20, 2018.

Prince Hassan, who was given an honorary degree by Unhas in 2012, explained the issues on the social and economic politics of the Islamic world, as well as education, research, and technology development.

The prince also described the relationship between Arab countries and Indonesia, which should be established through Islamic cultural intimacy, in order to jointly solve Palestinian issues.

Prince Hassan bin Talal specifically asked Unhas for its dentists and dental surgeons to handle mouth and teeth issues caused due to violence among Palestinian refugees.

"The rector responded to the request by sending medical doctors and dentists to the border areas of Jordan and Jerusalem where the refugees live," Ishaq revealed.

The Unhas rector and the entourage have also met Arab Jerusalem Mayor Zaki A. Ghul and a prominent writer and publishing owner in Jordan, Omar Armuti. Armuti, and invited several prominent figures, such as Jordan`s parliamentarian members, former ministers, and former Jordan ambassador to Indonesia, to meet the delegation.

The meeting discussed issues related to educational cooperation among Islamic countries, especially to address issues in Palestine, Kashmir, and Pakistan.

Unhas` visit to Amman was very productive as there was also sign of agreements with several major universities, namely Jordan University Science and Technology, Princes Sumaya University, and the Hasemite University.

Those Jordanian Partner universities provide scholarship for Unhas students to take up advanced studies in the country.

The Unhas lecturers also have opportunities to take sabbatical leave for those who want to teach in Jordan, with considerable allowances set up by the partners. The priority areas are medics, economics and business, as well as water engineering, arid land management, and environment.

Unhas` visit to Jordan aims to improve cooperation between Indonesian and Islamic countries and higher educational institutions.

Dwia, as the chairman of the Indonesia Rector Forum (FRI), revealed that the forum will facilitate cooperation between universities to strengthen the quality of human resources in Islamic countries, solve the world?s problems in Palestine, Syria, and Pakistan; and tackle other major problems of water resource management, climate change, and health in Islamic perspectives.