The International University of Sarajevo (IUS) welcomed H.E. Sylvia Abu Laban, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Bosnia and Herzegovina, during an official visit to the University on August 4, 2026.
Ambassador Abu Laban was received by IUS Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Osman Kuşakcı, Vice Rector for Academic Activities and Student Affairs Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tarik Namas, and Secretary General Mr. Ibrahim Inal.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between IUS and the Embassy of the State of Palestine, with particular emphasis on expanding educational opportunities for students from Palestine.
The participants discussed ways in which IUS could support Palestinian students by providing access to high-quality higher education, scholarship opportunities, and a welcoming international academic environment. They also explored potential models of cooperation that could help talented students continue their education and develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to their communities.
Rector Kuşakcı presented IUS as an internationally oriented university committed to academic excellence, inclusion, and supporting students from diverse backgrounds. He emphasized the University’s readiness to explore concrete forms of assistance and cooperation aimed at facilitating access to education for Palestinian students.
Ambassador Abu Laban expressed her appreciation for the warm welcome and IUS’s willingness to support young people from Palestine. She highlighted the importance of education in empowering future generations and strengthening long-term development.
The visit marked an important step toward closer institutional cooperation and the development of initiatives that could provide Palestinian students with new academic and scholarship opportunities at the International University of Sarajevo.
