Palestinian school to produce anti-corruption experts
The Palestinian Anti-Corruption Academy plans to launch next year to train Palestinians with skills to curb corruption.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian Authority (PA) is establishing an independent academy to offer specialized anti-corruption courses and degrees.
The Palestinian Anti-Corruption Academy will produce a Palestinian generation able to fight corruption, according to Ahmad Barak, head of the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission. Barak announced the initiative Sept. 9 to representatives of Palestinian universities meeting in al-Bireh. The academy will be affiliated with the commission, which was established by the PA in 2010 to investigate any suspicions of corruption attributed to Palestinian officials.
In 2017, the PA started including some elective academic courses on combating corruption in some university curriculums, but the academy will offer specialized diplomas and master's degrees, in addition to workshops and training, and will be open to all students.
Muntasir Hamdan, the commission's media officer, said the idea for the academy stems from the commission's thinking "that academics are the backbone of its work and that fighting corruption on scientific grounds will make significant progress.”
