Bethlehem University
Following Pope Paul VI's visit to the Holy Land in 1964, he returned to the Vatican and proposed the concept of establishing an institution of higher education in Bethlehem, open to both Christian and Muslim students, male and female. This idea was further developed and crystallized in 1972.
A space known as the "House of the Child Jesus", where the Lasallian Brothers had been living since 1893, was donated by the De La Salle Brothers who were already established in the area. The official inauguration of this joint venture between the Vatican and the De La Salle Brothers took place in 1973.
Bethlehem University is one of the first universities in the West Bank. In 1995, the university acquired the Hermas Palace, a beautiful traditional building constructed in 1910, which now houses the Faculties of Nursing and Education. In 2000, the Palestinian Cultural Heritage Centre was added to the library building, and in 2002, the five-story Millennium Hall was constructed to accommodate the Faculties of Business and Arts.
Starting with 112 students in 1973, Bethlehem University now has approximately 3,300 students enrolled in its diverse academic programs, including the School of Business Administration, the School of Arts, the School of Education, the Institute of Hotel Management and Tourism, the School of Science, and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.