The partnership betwen the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation began with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Friday 12th of March, 2021. The signing parties were Salim Rabbani, LRF Chairman and Eddy Moors, Rector of IHE Delft.

The MoU officially establishes a longstanding cooperation and a joint scholarship for exceptional Arab students to study at the world renowned IHE Delft. The shared goal of the MoU is to promote Euro-Arab dialogue and understanding through a two way exchange leading to further appreciation of each other’s cultures; which is key to building genuine understanding and dialogue.

This partnership is particularly touching to the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation, as it symbolises that what goes around truly comes around. Our founder Mahmoud S. Rabbani was a Palestinian refugee who received a life-changing scholarship to study at the Technical University of Delft. Over 60 years later and 40 years after he founded the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation, we are proud to announce that LRF is partnering with the IHE Delft and going back to its roots.

This partnership contributes to promoting Euro-Arab dialogue and understanding between cultures by supporting Arab scholars to attend the prestigious Master programmes  at IHE. The Foundation hopes this partnership fosters Euro-Arab education and dialogue on sustainable water practices which is key for both regions and to promote a forum where both regions can learn from each other. The opportunity to take part in a Master´s programme at IHE will be a lifechanging experience, as scholars get to deepen their knowledge of water practices and develop their skills in a innovative environment.

Abeer Almomani, IHE Delft PhD fellow funded by LRF, was present during the virtual signing ceremony to emphasise her gratitude to the Foundation for funding her fifth year of her PhD programme and for the warm welcome she received through mentorship and scholar networks.

”The support from the Foundation allowed me to continue my 5th year of PhD. Beyond the generous financial support that I was given as a scholar, what really amazed me is the welcoming and social atmosphere that the Rabbani Foundation made us feel as scholars. They made an effort to make the scholars feel at home and to get to know us, sending us emails to interesting movies and checking on us during Covid. The Foundation wants to make sure everyone feels welcomed and taken care of, it is what makes the LRF Scholarship programme very special to me and I can´t express my gratitude enough.

Abeer Almomani2021 MSR Scholar
IHE Delft Institute for Water Education

The IHE Delft Institute for Water Education is the largest international graduate water education facility in the world and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. Since 1957, the Institute has conferred MSc degrees as well as PhD degrees in collaboration with other universities. It has trained more than 23,000 professionals from over 190 countries and has produced remarkable research with worldwide implications for the water sector. Through their work on capacity development, IHE Delft aims to make an active contribution to achieving all Sustainable Development Goals for which water is essential. The Institute joined the UNESCO Water family in 2001. Since it became part of UNESCO, the Institute has become the only institution in the UN system authorised to confer accredited MSc degrees.

Both the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation and the IHE recognise that international scholarships can be an effective and sustainable way of promoting dialogue and understanding. This belief has now led to the establishment of this MOU.

For any questions regarding the MoU, please contact scholarships@rabbanifoundation.org