Bethlehem University

Bethlehem University
جامعة بيت لحم
Motto
Indivisa Manent
Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve
TypePrivate
Established1 October 1973
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic
De La Salle Brothers
Academic affiliations
ACCU
UNIMED
International Association of La Salle Universities (IALU)
ChancellorMost Rev. Monsignor Adolfo Tito Yllana
Vice-ChancellorBrother Héctor Hernán Santos González FSC, PhD
Administrative staff
c. 409
Undergraduates5,000 (fall 2023)
Location
Bethlehem, West Bank
,
Palestine
Websitewww.bethlehem.edu

Bethlehem University (Arabic: جامعة بيت لحم, romanized: Jāmiʻat Bayt Laḥm) is a Catholic university located in the city of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, Palestine.

History

Established shortly before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the university traces its roots to 1893, when the De La Salle Brothers opened schools in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Nazareth, along with others in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt;and to 1964's Pope Paul VI's visit to the Holy Land in which he promised the Palestinian people a university, a centre for Ecumenical Studies (Tantur Ecumenical Institute), and a school for children with special educational needs (Effetá Paul VI School).

As of 2025, Bethlehem University is the first established university in Palestine and the only Catholic university in the Holy Land (excluding seminary schools and theological or biblical institutes). It continues to be a joint project supported by the Vatican and run by the De La Salle Brothers.

In 2017 the Palestine Museum of Natural History opened on the campus; it is closely linked to the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability.

Demographics

Bethlehem University students are predominantly Muslim (~75%) and female (~78%), with Christians representing ~25% of the students.

Faculties

Majors and Minors

Source:

  1. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
  2. Religious Studies
  3. Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence
  4. Social Work
  5. Sociology
  6. English Language, Literature, and Communications
  7. Interactive Media and Communication
  8. Business Administration
  9. Accounting
  10. Pre-School Education
  11. Lower Basic Level Education
  12. Upper Basic Level – Teaching Arabic Language
  13. Upper Basic Level – Teaching English Language
  14. Upper Basic Level – Teaching Mathematics
  15. Upper Basic Level – Teaching Social Studies
  16. Nursing
  17. Midwifery
  18. Speech Therapy and Audiology
  19. Physiotherapy
  20. Occupational Therapy
  21. Medical Laboratory Sciences
  22. Pharmaceutical and Industrial Chemistry
  23. Software Engineering
  24. Computer Simulation in Sciences and Engineering
  25. Sustainable Energy Engineering
  26. Hotel Management
  27. Tourism Studies
  28. Computer Information Systems
  29. Biology
  30. Industrial Chemistry
  31. Mathematics
  32. Physics

Interreligious character

All religious groups are welcome at the university, which currently counts among its students Christians of many different denominations including Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Russian Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Greek Catholic, and others.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Prada, Oscar Elizalde (19 February 2025). "Bethlehem University faces challenges amid ongoing West Bank restrictions". La Salle Worldwide. Vatican News. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "About Bethlehem University". Bethlehem University. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "Biodiversity and hope flourish at Palestine's first natural history museum". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Palestine Museum of Natural History". ngarchitects. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "Mission and History". Bethlehem University. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  6. ↑ "Faculties". Bethlehem University. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "Faculties". Bethlehem University. Retrieved 4 October 2026.

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