Officially established in 1995, Al-Quds University is the first and only Palestinian University in Jerusalem. Its roots can be traced back to 1984 when several colleges in the Jerusalem area merged together. These colleges included the College of Hind Al-Husseini for Women, the Centre for Islamic Archaeology, and the College of Medical Professions and Science and Technology.
The university has two main campuses, a larger one in Abu Dis on the outskirts of Jerusalem, and a smaller one located in the Old City of East Jerusalem. It also has campuses situated in the areas of Beit Hanina, Sheikh Jarrah, and Rammalh (al-Bireh).
At the heart of the university are four core values: professionalism, equality and diversity, access to education, and the promotion of peace. By embodying these values the university seeks to provide a safe environment for its students and staff.
The university has 15 faculties and 29 institutes and centres. Included among these are the first medical school in Palestine, the first Research Center for Nanotechnology and the Institute of Jerusalem Studies which offers an MA on the ancient city. The Al-Quds Bard College for Arts and Sciences, aims to combine the best of American and Palestinian academic traditions. More than 45 of the university's departments offer postgraduate education.
The library has printed, audio-visual and electronic resources in addition to the manuscripts, films, discs and posters and nearly 100,000 catalogued books. Resources are in both English and Arabic.
The university has international partnerships with American and European universities and is also affiliated with over 30 institutes and carries out research in a number of different areas.
