Report on Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education for 2022

·       (Episode Nine) from the Bureau's report for 2023)

·       About the university

- Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education is a public university, affiliated with the Ministry ofHigherEducationand ScientificResearch, in the Nablus Governorate.... On February 17 of the year 2020, Cabinet Decision No. (02/43/18/M.W/M.A) was issued, annexing the CollegeIbnSinaof HealthSciences with Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education, which offers technical programs at the bachelor’s level, as well as post-bachelor’s specialized programs in NursingSciences, and Midwifery, in addition to a bridging program. , The university’s mission was: to provide vocational and technical education and training that meets labor market needs, based on the philosophy of skills and competencies, and maximizes the utilization of Palestinian human resources

-        The University Board of Trustees^, includes 17 members, representatives of each of: the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Economy, the Ministry of Labor, in addition to a representative of each of the Engineers Syndicate, the chambers of commerce, and the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, in addition to independent figures. The late Dr. SaeedKanaan was the first to chair the University Board of Trustees until his death in 2023, where he was succeeded by Dr. FathiAbuMaghli (member    ) ..

-        The university faculties:

-        Ibn Sina College of Health Professions, Department of Nursing, Department of Midwifery, College of Applied and Technical Engineering, College of Communications and Information Technology, College of Agricultural Engineering and Sustainable Natural Resources, and the College of Trades and Crafts.

-        Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education celebrated the graduation of its first cohort, "the Prisoners' Cohort," on 21 November 2021; the number of graduates in this cohort was approximately 80 students, all from the health professions (nursing and midwifery) specialization.

-        Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education is considered the last university (No. 21) in the series of Palestinian universities, which are as follows: (Birzeit University, An-Najah National University, Al-Quds University, Palestine Polytechnic University, Hebron University, Bethlehem University, University of Palestine, Al-Istiqlal University, Al-Azhar University, Al-Quds Open University, Al-Quds University, Palestine Technical University, Al-Aqsa University, University of Gaza, Arab American University, Palestine Ahliya University, Al-Ummah University, Al-Isra University, Zaytuna University of Science and Technology, Dar Al-Kalima University, and Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education..(The universities in the Gaza Strip, were destroyed by the Israeli occupation authorities in the genocidal war ongoing since 7 October 2023 until now)..!

●      State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB) report on Nablus University for Vocational and Technical Education for 2022

-        It was observed from the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB)'s annual report for 2023 that its reference in the report about the university for 2022 pointed to the existence of observations and violations of the statutes and laws establishing the university; these violations concern the performance of some university departments and sections..., with a noted weakness in the university's internal control... For example:

·       The Internal Audit Department and the Personnel Affairs Department: there is an Internal Audit Department, but it is ineffective and does not perform the role assigned to it according to its job description, while the Personnel Affairs Department, it is noticeable that the Personnel Affairs Department was not activated, at the university until the completion of the audit, and the warehouse custodian was assigned that because there is no administrative staff to follow up administrative matters at the university

·       Official working hours and leave: there are cases of morning lateness and early departure before the end of the working day by some employees, and legal and disciplinary measures are not taken against non-compliant employees, and employees’ leaves were not accrued in accordance with the proper procedures

·       Appointments: supporting employment documents or any other supporting documents related to employees were not attached in their files

·       General supplies: all supplies are present in Ibn Sina College, and the administrative offices are recorded as being entrusted to the Ministry of Health of Palestine, not entrusted to Najah Vocational and Technical University, and the custody was not transferred by the date of the completion of the audit, due to substantive disputes between the Ministry of Health of Palestine, on the one hand (the former owner of Ibn Sina College), and Najah Vocational and Technical University, (the current owner of the university), on the other hand!

·       Financial affairs: it was noted that there is no

-        an electronic accounting program to record the university’s financial transactions, as reliance is placed on the Excel program to record the university’s financial and accounting transactions, which weakens internal control procedures and does not provide reasonable assurance about the accuracy of recording financial transactions

-        Periodic financial reports were not prepared by the Financial Affairs Department to show the university’s financial position!

-        There are no financial receipts specific to the university’s Financial Department, as Ministry of Finance receipts were used!

- The university has not paid the electricity consumption charges for Ibn Sina College for the Health Professions, since the college was annexed to the university on 17-2-2020, due to a dispute between the university and the Ministry of Health, as the account is registered in the name of the Ministry of Health, with indebtedness exceeding 700 thousand shekels!.

-        It was observed that a monthly supervisory allowance was paid to some university employees who were assigned to other, tasks in addition to their primary work, where these allowances were calculated according to the Staff Regulations for Palestinian Universities, retroactively, through the approval of the university’s Board of Trustees only, and before the university’s cadre system was officially adopted.!

-        No separate budget was adopted for the university for 2021

-        There is no central archive at the university

·       Projects: the university administration did not commence implementing the financial grants, projects, and constructions according to the concluded agreements and implementation schedules, to become a tangible reality on the ground and to achieve the objectives for which the university was established.

·       The observations contained in the above Diwan report require urgent improvements in control and in financial and administrative procedures to ensure improved performance of the university’s departments and units and the settlement of outstanding files.. so that the university’s objectives can be achieved efficiently and transparently.