Monitoring Gender Equality in Student Graduation and Academic Success
An-Najah National University (ANNU) upholds a strong institutional commitment to gender equality in higher education. The University systematically tracks, analyses and compares the academic success and graduation outcomes of female and male students across all faculties and programmes, and maintains support schemes to address barriers to completing higher education.
This continuous monitoring process is designed to ensure that women’s likelihood of graduating equals or exceeds that of men. The approach combines academic monitoring through the Zajel Academic Information System with academic advice, mentoring, financial assistance, psychological counselling and childcare support.
1. Systematic monitoring through the Zajel academic platform
Through Zajel, the University collects and disaggregates data by gender, faculty and study level, including:
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Enrolment numbers by gender and field of study
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Retention and dropout (withdrawal) rates
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Cumulative GPA distribution
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Average years to graduation
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Annual graduation rates and graduation outcomes
The system enables real-time visualisation of gender-disaggregated data for internal monitoring and reporting to the Deanship of Admission and Registration, the Deanship of Student Affairs and the An-Najah Alumni Unit.
These measures help distinguish between academic difficulty, delayed completion and interruption of study. Gender comparisons are most informative when examined within comparable programmes and study levels, alongside the university-wide results.
Zajel platform header from the University academic platform.
Zajel reporting interface showing year selection and programme-level reporting.
Gender-disaggregated reporting fields (male / female / total) by faculty.
2. Graduation outcomes, 2019–2020 to 2024–2025
Graduation rate by gender and academic year
|
Academic year |
Women |
Men |
Difference (percentage points) |
Key insight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2019–20 |
88.0% |
85.0% |
+3.0 |
Female students recorded a slightly higher completion rate |
|
2020–21 |
90.0% |
87.0% |
+3.0 |
Higher female rate maintained, with strong female performance |
|
2021–22 |
91.0% |
89.0% |
+2.0 |
Continued improvement for both women and men |
|
2022–23 |
92.0% |
90.0% |
+2.0 |
Stable graduation trends and balanced outcomes |
|
2023–24 |
92.8% |
91.0% |
+1.8 |
Difference narrowed further, with a steady upward trend for both |
|
2024–25 |
93.3% |
92.1% |
+1.2 |
Highest rates in the series for both; smallest difference recorded |
Source: University institutional figures. Difference = female rate minus male rate; a positive value indicates a higher female rate.
Figure 1. Graduation rates by gender, 2019–2020 to 2024–2025. Women Men
Trend observation
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Between 2019–2020 and 2023–2024, the female graduation rate increased by 4.8 percentage points and the male rate by 6.0 points, indicating balanced institutional progress.
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Including 2024–2025, women’s graduation rate increased by 5.3 percentage points and men’s by 7.1 percentage points over the six-year period.
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The gender difference narrowed from 3.0 percentage points in 2019–2020 to 1.8 in 2023–2024 and 1.2 in 2024–2025, confirming the absence of a systemic female disadvantage.
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Faculties with historically higher male enrolment, such as Engineering and Information Technology, show significant improvement in female completion rates, reflecting gender-inclusion efforts.
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The difference has remained at or below 3 percentage points across all six years, demonstrating sustained gender equity in academic success and the value of data-driven monitoring through Zajel.
The chart presents reported rates; it does not imply that all cohorts have the same programme duration.
3. Interpreting the graduation difference
Figure 2. Female minus male graduation rate, in percentage points. Positive values favour women; zero represents equal rates.
In the latest year, women’s rate increased from 92.8% to 93.3% (+0.5 percentage points) and men’s from 91.0% to 92.1% (+1.1 percentage points). The difference narrowed from 1.8 to 1.2 percentage points, the smallest in the six-year series. Across the full reporting period it decreased from 3.0 to 1.2 percentage points.
Higher female rates at institutional level do not establish that every programme or group has equal outcomes. Programme-level monitoring therefore remains relevant, particularly for women studying in underrepresented fields and for students facing financial hardship, disability-related barriers or caring responsibilities.
Understanding the measure
A graduation rate must be interpreted using its defined student population and completion period. It is distinct from the share of all graduates who are women. Comparisons between genders require the same denominator rules and reporting window, and faculty and programme differences should be considered when interpreting institutional averages.
4. Continuous monitoring and annual review
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Identify early trends or emerging gaps
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Recommend corrective actions for faculties
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Inform student-support responses
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Inform policy development aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality)
The central purpose is to identify where students are falling behind, understand the associated barriers and connect students with relevant support, so that any deviation from parity is addressed promptly through tailored interventions. Subsequent academic progression and completion provide the outcomes against which support is assessed.
Annual monitoring cycle: collect, analyse, report, act and review.
5. Schemes and support programmes to close any potential gap
Zajel analytics identify students at academic risk, who receive targeted tutoring and counselling. This helps students review their academic standing, outstanding degree requirements and options for continuing their studies.
Academic records and progression through Zajel
Women’s mentoring
Scholarships and Grants | Financial Support
Psychological and social counselling
Childcare for student mothers
Career readiness and internships
Participants photographed at the Career and Alumni Affairs Unit. University archive photograph. Source
6. Documented activities, 2025–2026
1 September 2025
Campus photograph accompanying the scholarship announcement, published 12 September 2025. Source
The University announced full undergraduate scholarships with the Palestine Student Support Fund for new Mathematics and Physics students in 2025–2026. Continued support required a cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0. The announcement documents a financial-support mechanism linked to academic progression, open to women and men.
18 September 2025
Engineering scholarships linked to registration and progress
An announcement invited applications for Al-Nabali and Al-Fares Real Estate scholarships for financially disadvantaged Civil, Architectural and Mechanical Engineering students. Conditions required semester registration, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and no concurrent university scholarship. Applications used Zajel family records, uploaded documentation and verification by the Student Loans and Assistance Department. The advertised award was USD 1,000 for the second semester, available to eligible engineering students in a field with historically higher male enrolment.
Read the dated University report
18 November 2025
Women-specific scholarship information
ANNU publicised Ulster University’s Salam Scholarships for Palestinian women for academic year 2026–2027, including tuition and living support. This illustrates the University’s dissemination of women-specific educational opportunities; the scholarships are awarded by Ulster University.
Read the dated University report
18 December 2025
Thabri scholarships for women in technical education
Thabri project delegation at Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology, 18 December 2025. Source
A Thabri project delegation, accompanied by representatives of the Canadian government, visited Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology to review six years of project activities and improvements to teaching facilities. The delegation met female students receiving Thabri scholarships for 2025–2026 and heard how the grants supported their education. The visit also included laboratories and workshops developed through the project.
Financial support and improved learning facilities address practical barriers to women’s participation and continued study in technical and vocational education. The report documents support provision and beneficiary experiences; it does not quantify an effect on female graduation rates, so these beneficiaries remain distinct from the institutional graduation series.
College report (18 December 2025) | GRIT project overview
Student wellbeing and psychological support
12 October 2025 (event), published 14 October 2025
Addressing academic stress and time management
ANNU held a World Mental Health Day exhibition involving Nursing, Psychology, Student Affairs and the Palestinian Child Institute. Activities addressed study stress, trauma, time management, procrastination, positive relationships and coping skills, topics directly relevant to difficulties that can disrupt academic participation. The event complements the University’s confidential counselling services.
Read the dated University report
23 December 2025
Psychological Resilience Arena
Expressive-arts activities at the Psychological Resilience Arena, 23 December 2025. Source
Interactive group activities on the New Campus, 23 December 2025. Source
The University held the Psychological Resilience Arena at the New Campus indoor sports hall, organised through the Deanship of Student Affairs and the Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences with UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Palestinian Counseling Center. The Faculty of Fine Arts reports that Art Therapy students contributed expressive-art and group activities that provided space for expression, communication and social connection.
This documents inclusive wellbeing support relevant to maintaining engagement with university life and addressing personal barriers to study. It is open to all students rather than women-specific, and the report does not measure a graduation effect.
Additional activity photograph from the Psychological Resilience Arena, 23 December 2025. Source
Mentoring and academic development for women
Campus image accompanying the University Mentorship Program announcement, 22 April 2025. Source
ANNU announced its global University Mentorship Program, connecting students, alumni, faculty and staff with peers and professionals and offering guidance in academic, research and skill-development areas, supported by a digital matching system under development. The programme expands the University’s mentoring framework, including the Women’s Mentoring Scheme.
29–30 April 2025 (event), published 1 May 2025
Supporting Women in Research
ANNU and the University of Naples Federico II held “Supporting Women in Research: The Med Hub”, supported by SULIEIA. The event included discussion of barriers facing women, practical networking workshops and experience-sharing sessions, with interested students participating alongside staff and researchers.
Read the dated University report
18 October 2025
Practical development for female law students
A four-day training programme with the Norwegian Refugee Council led to three female Law students being selected for six months of work and training combining field and office experience, a documented example of practical academic and professional support for women.
Read the dated University report
30 April 2026
Academic supervision and institutional support for women
Sama Malhis and Tala Qanadilo at the Hebron University design challenge, 2026. Source
An-Najah students Sama Malhis and Tala Qanadilo of the Faculty of Fine Arts won first place in Hebron University’s design challenge. The report credits academic supervision by Sawsan Quneer and continuing support from the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Deanship of Student Affairs and the University administration, illustrating supervised academic development and female student achievement.
Women’s outcomes at graduation, 2026
Honours ceremony opening An-Najah’s 46th graduation celebrations, 19 July 2026. Source
The honours ceremony opened An-Najah’s 46th graduation celebrations. The accompanying report names women as the top graduates overall and in the medical and health sciences and humanities groups, an illustrative academic outcome alongside the gender-disaggregated completion results above.
20 July 2026 (event), published 21 July 2026
Graduation ceremony on the New Campus
46th graduation ceremony at Hikmat Al-Masri Theatre, New Campus, 20 July 2026. Source
The 46th graduation ceremony at Hikmat Al-Masri Theatre celebrated graduates of Graduate Studies, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural Engineering, providing general graduation context for the completion results reported on this page.
7. Maintaining equality in graduation outcomes
Women at an An-Najah graduation ceremony. University archive photograph.
An-Najah National University affirms that women and men have an equal likelihood of graduating, supported by systematic, transparent and data-driven monitoring mechanisms. The University remains committed to maintaining this parity as part of its inclusive excellence and its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.