Achievements

1. Here is a snapshot of 32 years in active contribution to human resources’ development in the Arab World.  The following achievements have been made through the dedicated and concerted efforts of HRH Prince Turki Ben Abdel Aziz , Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Board members, professional staff and graduates as well as hundreds of individuals, businessmen, institutions and banks.
    
2. Enabled nearly 5,000 students to graduate with PhD (42%), MA & MS (38%), and BA (20%), in the fields of medical, pure, and applied sciences, humanities and social sciences from well known universities .  This was made possible through interest free loans, and grants pending qualifications of high grades (B+) and above and proof of real financial need. Loans are paid back in installments during 5 years to extend help to others as a revolving fund. The majority of graduates have returned to their homeland and are now effectively contributing to respective national social and economic development schemes.
    
3. Contributed to the improvement of educational standard of Palestinian universities by facilitating grants for 65 staff members who completed Ph.D. degrees in technical and applied sciences who returned to their respective universities.
    
4. Provided grants to needy and outstanding 4,000 BA&MA students with 80% and above grade average in Palestinian Universities for the past ten years in the average amount of $350.
    
5. Extended grants to Palestinian students attending universities outside home country and who were financially cut off from their family resources during the last two Intifadas. Nearly 1,400 students benefited from this scheme and aid ranged between 500-1000 US Dollars.
    
6. Facilitated 19 Palestinian physicians to complete sub-specialty studies in fields that are highly needed for hospitals and clinics.
    
7. Contributed in the infra-structure development of three Palestinian Universities (Al-Quds, Al-Najah and Islamic University in Gaza). Total allocations were about 1,8 million US Dollars towards the erection of Science & Technology buildings and Conference auditorium.
    
8. Supported the improvement of research and teaching of Palestinian universities in acquisition of high tech laboratory equipment in engineering, and pure sciences lending advanced services for development in environment, agriculture and industry.
    
9. Financed training courses targeting Board members, senior staff of NGOs, GOs, and private sectors thus benefiting over 750 participants who acquired skills and know how in management, finances, administration, communication, monitoring and evaluation, in addition to projects’ proposal writing.
    
10. Offering 4 Ph.D. grants in the amount of $4,500 per grant to each one of the Palestinian universities for Ph.D. degrees for candidates who meet the set qualifications and standards set by ASAI.

Past Programs:

ASAI has responded ,since inception to  prevailing needs of Arab States' human resources development.  ASAI has funded variety of programs and is proud for its achievements . It is through the continued support of HRH Prince Turki Ben Abdel Aziz, the generosity of contributors, the perseverance of benefiting students,  the supporting Trustee Members and and the dedicated Staff that the following were achieved.

In the West Bank and Gaza:

• Special Medical Program for physicians who worked at public hospitals in West Bank and Gaza Strip  to specialize in areas not available in their perspective hospitals. 22 physicians studied in Jordan, the U.K., and France. Part of the program was co-funded with the British Council. This program contributed to the improvement of health services. This program was implemented in mid eighties and the total cost of this program was $220,000.
  

• University Faculty Members' Program to help  Universities  upgrade academic performance. Ninety Eight Faculty members were provided with scholarship grants to pursue their doctoral studies at US, European and other accredited universities in various fields of specialization. Eight universities in West Bank and Gaza benefited from this program. As a result of this program, teaching has improved as well as research quality and quantity. Total cost of this program was $930,000.
  

• Scholarship Grants to students in the West Bank and Gaza Universities, were allocated annually since 1986. The West Bank Committee oversees the program and  distributed the funds each year at a special program. Thousands of scholarships were given in the past 20 years. Top Students in Vocational Schools received financial support as well. Total number of students who benefited from this program was 80,000, with a total cost of $3,200,000.
  

• Visiting Professors Project designed to encourage Professors on sabbatical leave to teach one semester or year in the West Bank. ASAI has supplemented their salaries  making  it possible for them to spend their leave at one of the Palestinian Universities. The number of Faculty members who were involved was 10 professors with a total cost of $80,000.
  

• Supporting Infra-structure development enabled three universities in West Bank and Gaza to expand teaching and laboratory facilities and absorb more students and enhancing research. This program assisted Universities with new buildings to modernize and develop new technology for the 21st Century and was completed 1999. This two-story building has two large lecture halls, science and engineering classrooms and staff offices. It also includes technical laboratories for: chemistry, biology, computer engineering electronics, energy research, food production technology and marine biology. Two other Universities were assisted with new buildings. 

• Islamic University of Gaza has completed the construction of Science and Technology Building enabling 700 new students to have their classes and 20 faculty members to have their offices. It was completed in 2002.

• An-Najah National University has completed a huge auditorium building for conferences, lectures, and assembly meetings, they are nearing completion of an additional building to their campus.  All three buildings were funded by ASAI. This will serve the university and the communities in Northern region.
   

All the above buildings were named after HRH Prince Turki Ben Abdul Aziz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ASAI. The total cost was $2,230,000. 

• Training Program: Since the year 2000 ASAI launched "training the trainers"  program for senior staff and members of the Board of NGOs to improve management skills, project's proposal writing, crisis and financial  management, in addition to monitoring and evaluation. This included groups in various sectors such as women , cooperative societies, and community leaderships in: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, West Bank and Gaza. The total number of participants to date was 4,550 men and women representing 755 charitable and civil society organizations.  Total cost of the program is $355,000 .

In Jordan:

ASAI has been active in providing scholarship loans and scholarship grants for qualified students.  A branch Office was established in Jordan in 1987 supervised by a Board of Trustees consisting of 15 members of the business and academic community. About 3,950 Scholarships were given .   

In addition, a training program in cooperation with the Union of Voluntary Societies has been in effect for the last 5 years designed for the leaderships of NGOs and civil societies. After the closing of office in 1997 all applications have been processed through the Main office and even more students are being helped. Funds allocated for the scholarship program was $1,800,000. Total cost for the training program in Jordan was $54,000 benefiting 1,350 leaders of civil society organizations.

At present ASAI made an agreement with the Arab Orphans Committee to act on its behalf to administer loan repayments from ASAI graduates residing in Jordan, and distributing 90% of proceeds as interest-free loans to enable orphan students to enroll at Jordanian universities providing meeting the qualifications. Annually a total of about $36,000 Dollars are received and spent on loans benefiting over 879 male and female students.

In Kuwait, ASAI provided scholarship grants for 25 staff members to acquire their academic and practical training at the Maritime Arab Academy in Alexandria, Egypt. They were employed after graduation in various shipping corporations as captains.