other than the youth, so education is an unavoidable part of it. That said, considering the lack of freedom of movement or stable financing, it is quite amazing how much importance educational institutions have in the West Bank. 
Many children attend private kindergarten and elementary schools, which are mostly Christian and employ sisters as teachers. The public school uniform shirt and jeans can be seen everywhere at certain times of the week.
The schools are easy to find on Google Maps, for example http://maps.google.com/?q=school+near+ramallah and http://maps.google.com/?q=school+near+beit+hanina.
Studiously learning Hebrew from a professor who also spoke great German having lived not just in Israel but in Steglitz-Zehlendorf in Berlin
Every major town has at least one university. The most famous one is of course Birzeit University outside of Ramallah - it is fair to say that it is unrivalled with respect to importance to the Palestinian political class, and it is the most well-known internationally.
Almost all the universities are secular, some are run privately and others publicly but none for profit, except for Arab American University outside Jenin. Much of the financing comes from aid organisations and emigrant donors.
As one would guess, about half the students are women and about half the students are studying engineering. The campuses themselves are often new and expanding, and seem always to be set on a hill. Entrance is usually controlled, one should have a reason for visiting.
Professors at public universities and anyone else who depends on the state are occasionally not paid at all, for years. Because there are no doctoral programmes in the West Bank, any professor in the West Bank is by definition an emigrant that studied and worked abroad (a small sample in order of frequency: Germany, the US, Israel, Belgium, and Romania) and has returned for personal reasons.
Language and engineering faculties of Arab American University outside Jenin, all other photos here are of An-Najah National University in Nablus
Career prospects can be a bit dim, but the career fair at An-Najah National University in Nablus was exciting as many at normal universities in America.
Career fair with major Palestinian companies and visiting school children represented
If job cannot be found, university was at least a nice opportunity for courtship.
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