From Gaza to St Andrews
In 2022 Isra’a Hatem Al-Jaish enrolled at St Andrews to study an MSc in International Education thanks to the support of a St Andrews Education for Palestinian Students (STEPS) scholarship. She describes the highlights of her time here so far and what she plans to do next.
Growing up in the Gaza Strip
I was born and brought up in Gaza, where for 28 years my life was punctuated by love and fear, war and inner peace.
In August 2021, I started to think about studying abroad in the UK and it was while I was searching online for scholarships that I discovered the STEPS scholarship on the University of St Andrews website and decided to apply.
Gaza was under attack while I was applying for my visa, so I was desperately worried that I wouldn’t be able to travel and that all my efforts and hard work would be in vain. It’s hard to explain to somebody who has no experience of this just how stressful and infuriating it can be to know that all your accomplishments and ambitions could be dashed in a split second through no fault of your own. That’s what it is like to grow up and try to pursue your ambitions in Gaza.
Thankfully, I was able to submit the visa application successfully once the attacks were over.
Studying at St Andrews compared to Gaza
Before coming here, my initial impression was that Scotland – or the UK in general – would be very different from my home country and that I might feel lonely. But the reality is that everyone here is so helpful and supportive and I appreciate the different ways that women are respected and cherished. Although I find the Scottish accent a little challenging at times, people have been very kind and have helped me to understand what they are saying!
Although I was thrilled to be part of a university that is ranked among the top in the world, when I first arrived in St Andrews I found the weekly assignments and the research papers very difficult and the workload excessive compared to what I was used to in my own country. This wasn’t helped by the fact that we have a very different method of learning and teaching in Gaza: to achieve excellent grades there we have to memorise lectures for our tests and we don’t study research methodologies or even critical analysis. However, my professors and the University’s academic services have been a huge help and support to me and I’m now starting to adapt and find things easier.
Why International Education?
Palestine (according to a fact sheet published by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics) is one of the countries with the lowest number of trained teachers and a poor quality of education. I chose to study an MSc in International Education at St Andrews because it covers everything from the leadership and management of international education to the design of online programmes. This will enable me to explore contemporary issues and analyse both theory and practice, so I can apply what I have learned here in my own country.
I believe that studying this course has also developed the research skills I need to analyse education policy. In addition the presentations, discussion groups and seminars I attend have helped me to develop my critical thinking and my ability to communicate both orally and in writing.
Highlights at Andrews
The opportunities and experiences I have had here have changed the person I am. I represented the University of St Andrews on the panel for international students at the Scottish Universities International Group (SUIG) Conference in Glasgow, where I met some amazing contacts. My flatmates and colleagues come from multicultural backgrounds, which has heightened my awareness of different cultures, philosophies and ways of thinking. I also appreciate the special activities available to us as students here, including the chance to participate in the University of St Andrews Student Ambassador programme, where I go on town tours with prospective students and help their parents to register them here.
Future plans
After graduation I intend to stay a little longer in St Andrews, extend my visa and look for jobs. I believe that to grow both personally and professionally, it’s important to put my academic qualifications into practice by gaining some practical experience. Ultimately, I want to become a leader in the field of international education to give back to – and benefit – both Palestine and the UK.
STEPS is a registered charity that was formed in 2011 to provide support for talented Palestinians to achieve graduate education at the University of St Andrews. To find out more please go to https://stepspalestine.org.uk or email [email protected]