Ramallah – As part of its social responsibility and commitment to supporting the education sector in Palestine, Bank of Jordan provided its gold sponsorship to the Fourth Annual Conference of the Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund (PSSF). The event was held over two days, Wednesday and Thursday, May 7th–8th, at Birzeit University.

The conference was attended by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Amjad Barham, members of the PSSF Board of Directors from the United States, Saif Issa, CEO of Bank of Jordan’s branches in Palestine, as well as presidents and representatives of universities including: An-Najah National University, Al-Quds University – Abu Dis, Bethlehem University, Hebron University, Palestine Polytechnic University, Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie, and Birzeit University. Hundreds of scholarship recipients also participated in the event.

The conference provided a valuable and unique opportunity for students from seven Palestinian universities to gather under one roof, enabling networking among them and with the donor organization. This was done in the spirit of enhancing communication and transparency, while building future opportunities for students and communities through ongoing engagement and support.

Saif Issa, CEO of Bank of Jordan in Palestine, stated that the sponsorship of this important conference reflects the bank’s firm commitment to its social responsibility, following a strategy that responds to the community's essential needs through a structured and holistic approach. He emphasized that education is a key pillar of sustainable development, especially under the current circumstances in Palestine.

He also noted that Bank of Jordan continues to strengthen strategic partnerships with local community institutions in the West Bank, particularly those working in the fields of education and health, by supporting and empowering them to improve their services. This comes following the bank’s implementation of a multi-faceted relief program to support the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

On the sidelines of the conference, an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Exhibition was organized, showcasing creative student projects from various Palestinian universities and academic disciplines. The exhibition provided a space for students to present their entrepreneurial ideas to attendees through a competition that evaluated their projects and facilitated future development of their ideas.

The Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund (PSSF), headquartered in Chicago, USA, was founded in 2017 by a group of Palestinian-American businesspeople. The fund aims to provide scholarships to underprivileged students at over 14 partner universities through donations from the donor community in the United States. It also seeks to provide moral and emotional support to scholarship recipients throughout their academic journey, standing by them and helping them succeed in their professional lives.

The fund has a strategic partnership with Birzeit University, in line with the university’s vision to foster a supportive and stimulating learning environment, and its belief that students represent the promising future and development of society.

Bank of Jordan places great importance on corporate social responsibility programs, aiming to support and empower the Palestinian community and actively contribute to various humanitarian, relief, and sustainable development initiatives.

It is worth mentioning that Bank of Jordan was one of the first financial institutions to establish a presence in Palestine after 1994. The bank provides advanced and distinguished banking services, targeting a broad range of Palestinian sectors and contributing to the development and support of the local economy.