The Master’s Program in Land Administration at Al-Quds University

The Master’s Program in Land Administration at Al-Quds University was established in 2024 as a multidisciplinary and collaborative program, combining several academic disciplines within the university such as Business Administration, Economics, Development, Law, Engineering, and Geography. The program was founded in partnership and cooperation with governmental and civil institutions related to land administration in Palestine. Palestine faces significant challenges in the field of land administration due to the unstable political situation, creating a real need for experts and specialized professionals in the land administration sector, which has seen growth and increased interest in recent decades. Therefore, Al-Quds University developed this program to meet this need by designing and advancing an academic, research, and training program that engages the local community. The program offers academic flexibility by integrating various teaching and training methods that are tailored to the unstable conditions in Palestine, such as in-person learning and distance education, to ensure the accessibility of knowledge and skills to the target groups across all Palestinian territories.

The program specifically aims to attract graduates from various bachelor's programs in multiple disciplines, such as Engineering, Geography, Law, Surveying, Environment, Agriculture, Economics, Administration, Sociology, and other related fields. It also targets individuals working in governmental, non-governmental, and private institutions related to land management. Graduates of this program will be qualified to work in the public sector, including institutions like the Land Authority, the Land and Water Settlement Authority, Local Government Authorities, non-governmental organizations working in the land sector, consulting offices for land and real estate sales and urban planning, research centers interested in land research from administrative, economic, legal, and environmental perspectives, and banks, particularly in the field of land appraisal and valuation.

The program offers three tracks for obtaining a Master's degree in Land Administration: 1) students must successfully complete 36 credit hours, including the completion and defense of a Master’s thesis; 2) students must complete 36 credit hours with the requirement of passing a comprehensive exam; 3) students can obtain a higher diploma by successfully completing 27 credit hours. The three tracks are subject to the rules and regulations of Al-Quds University as outlined in the program’s curriculum.

Academic education, scientific research, professional and technical training, and community engagement form the core pillars of the Master's Program in Land Administration at Al-Quds University. The program aims to equip students with comprehensive theoretical knowledge of land administration and governance in the context of sustainable development. It also seeks to provide students with scientific research skills, guiding them towards conducting applied research projects that address the challenges of the land sector in Palestine. Additionally, the program implements professional and technical training programs related to land administration functions and tools, in cooperation with relevant national institutions and regional and international networks.

The program is built on effective national partnerships with relevant institutions and aims to strengthen these collaborative networks regionally and globally to exchange knowledge, skills, technologies, and tools that are vital for the development of the land sector. Finally, the program's mission is to enhance and maximize the efficiency of Palestinian land administration despite the political circumstances and the unstable geopolitical reality in Palestine, by supporting the public sector, civil society, the private sector, and the local community in the field of land governance to promote resilience and sustainability in Palestine, the region, and the world.