On September 7, 2016, Konkuk University (KU) announced that President Sang-Gi Min signed an agreement with President Imad Khatib of Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU) to exchange students and expand research cooperation, particularly in the fields of biotechnology, IT, and engineering. Prior to signing the agreement, a workshop on Palestine’s biotechnology industry was held on the 6th.
Established in 1978, PPU is located in Hebron and has six doctorate programs and 28 undergraduate programs. Each year, the university produces 1,400 graduates. With support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency, KU has started construction of the Palestine Biotechnology Center at PPU last December. Once completed in January 2017, the center is expected to house three research institutes on food safety, animal health and agriculture, which will function as a hub for university-industry cooperation. In addition, KU will provide equipment and staff for research projects. Last July, a delegation from KU visited PPU to hold a joint workshop on technology transfer.