GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Hamas-affiliated Islamic University of Gaza, one of the largest and oldest Palestinian universities in the Gaza Strip, has decided to lower its admissions standards to unprecedented levels for acceptance to various programs and colleges starting in July. The decision triggered a debate among academics and economic experts who wondered about the motives behind this action. Currently, the academic labor market in Gaza is severely overcrowded and there are few employment opportunities for the thousands of university graduates each year.
The labor market in Gaza is unable to absorb the thousands of graduates every year. About 150,000 university degree holders cannot find work, according to a local study published April 24, 2013.