Rebuilding Higher Education in Gaza: Principles and Purposes
In late April Dr Mariam Attia, a resident academic at The Classical Institute, had the honour and privilege of presenting at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) international conference centered on Rebuilding Higher Education in Gaza. Dr Attia joined the days-long programming alongside colleagues and panelists from various global institutions whose expertise ranged from education, international diplomacy, and development. In her presentation in Doha, Dr Mariam Attia shifted the frame from critique to vision. Speaking on the theme Rebuilding Higher Education in Gaza: Principles and Purposes, she challenged the language of "capacity building" that dominates international discourse.
"Whose capacity?" she asked. Too often, such initiatives assume a deficit model, viewing Palestinian academics and institutions as recipients of aid rather than partners in knowledge. Dr Attia called instead for a model that embraces participation, relationally, and reflexivity.
Such an approach does more than just rebuild infrastructure; it restores dignity and purpose. It treats education as a form of resistance – not only against occupation and immobility, but against intellectual colonisation.
The Call for Classical Renewal
This is where the mission of The Classical Institute finds renewed relevance. Dr Attia's work exemplifies the Institute's commitment to reviving classical traditions of education – both Islamic and broader. In her lectures, she emphasised the importance of returning to a model of education that is:
Purposeful rather than procedural
Holistic rather than fragmented
Rooted in wisdom rather than obsessed with novelty
Naturally reflective and morally oriented
She reminded audiences that education has not always been this way. Across cultures and histories – including Uzbekistan's own rich intellectual tradition – learning was about the refinement of character, the cultivation of the soul, and the pursuit of truth.
A Global Message from a Local Platform
The Classical Institute is proud to support and platform the scholarship of Dr Mariam Attia. Her work reminds us that reclaiming higher education is not merely an intellectual exercise; it is a moral imperative.
The Gaza context is urgent. But it is not unique. Around the world, higher education is suffering from a crisis of meaning. The neoliberal university may be dominant, but it is not inevitable.
Dr Attia's message is one of hope and possibility. By returning to first principles, by asking deeper questions of worldview, by recognising that knowledge is not neutral, we can begin to rebuild – not just in war-torn regions, but in the heart of every institution that has forgotten why it exists.
Final Reflections
Educational research, as Dr Attia often reminds us, is never worldview-neutral. If we accept this, then we must be brave enough to ask: what worldview do we serve? And is it worthy of our students, our communities, and our histories?
At The Classical Institute, the answer is clear. We are committed to education that enriches the soul, connects the generations, and illuminates the path ahead. And in the work of scholars like Dr Mariam Attia, we see a future for higher education that is at once principled, grounded, and profoundly transformative.
We invite our readers, supporters, and collaborators to reflect with us: what would it mean to rebuild higher education not with metrics and models, but with meaning?
Written by The Classical Institute Editorial Team