University of La Laguna Welcomes Gazan Student in Humanitarian Education Initiative

The University of La Laguna (ULL) has joined a national program to host students from Gaza, an initiative led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) to help young people continue their education despite the ongoing war. The Tenerife-based institution has welcomed one of the six students recently evacuated to Spain, who arrived on the island after traveling from Amman.

This humanitarian effort, supported by organizations including UNHCR, UNRWA, Doctors of the World, and CEAR, highlights the Spanish university community’s commitment to protecting the right to education during emergencies. The ULL’s participation was made possible through a 2024 participatory budget. While the university originally planned to host three students, it adjusted its strategy to use the remaining funds to cover tuition fees for students still in Gaza, while preparing to welcome a second student this summer.

The student now at ULL, born in 2001, hopes to specialize in neurosurgery. His journey reflects the extreme difficulties medical students face in Gaza; before his evacuation, he balanced his studies with hospital volunteer work, often dealing with severe supply shortages and the destruction of schools. He has lost both of his parents, and his twelve siblings are currently living in tents, a situation that underscores the devastating impact of the conflict on the region’s youth.

The six students evacuated in this phase have been placed at various institutions across Spain, including the University of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the Cinema and Audiovisual School of Catalonia, the Complutense University of Madrid, and the School of Writers. For the student in Tenerife, this opportunity offers a path forward after a period where the war had brought his education and future prospects to a standstill.