Category: News
STEPS scholars participate in UN Geneva graduate Fellowship
Our amazing scholar Wafaa Alzaanin participated in the UN Geneva Graduate Fellowship.
Wafaa wrote: “My experience was very rich and informative, I was able to learn deeply about unilateral organizations and the humanitarian response. I was able also to make powerful networks, overall my experience was amazing!”



Congratulations to STEPS 2020 students!
Congratulations to STEPS students Noor Mehdawi and Nadine Abushaaban who participated in the graduation ceremony this June. Both of our students finished their degrees in 2020, but their graduation was delayed due to Covid restrictions.
We wish both of them a very successful life.


Dinner with our new students
The trustees held a welcoming dinner for the new students at West Lodge. We spent a very nice time chatting with our new students about their new experiences and study. We wish them all the best with their master’s study!

Congratulations, Ala!
Our scholar for 2020-21, Ala Mustafa, graduated in September 2021 with a merit in her MSc in Health Psychology and has returned to the West Bank where she almost immediately found a job in a research clinic in Ramallah, where she has already been promoted and says that she is greatly enjoying helping people with mental health problems there. She hopes before too long to study for a Ph. D. in Psychology. Despite the difficulties of studying last academic year, she greatly enjoyed her time at St Andrews and wishes to thank all those whose help allowed her to come here.
Welcome, Wafaa!
We are delighted to welcome our new scholar Wafaa from Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip. Wafaa is doing an MSc in International Development Practice. We wish her all the best in her study. Here are a few words from our scholar:
“My name is Wafaa Alzaanin, I am a motivated female dentist from Gaza, Palestine. I was honored this year to be a STEPS scholar to study master’s degree at the University of St Andrews. Being a student at St-Andrews University means being in a diverse environment where every day I learn new skills, make new friendships, and communicate with different people from different backgrounds. I cannot say how much I enjoy pursuing my master’s degree here. STEPS gave me the best experience in my life “

Welcome, Amro!
Our new students are finally here. A very warm welcome to Amro Abdallatif from Gaza city. Amro is studying MSc in computer science. We wish him all the best. And here are a few words from our scholar:
“As a Palestinian student from Gaza, getting to the University of St Andrews, the oldest and best university in Scotland, is mostly a dream. STEPS helped bring that dream to reality.
I am beyond excited to be studying here in a course I am deeply interested in, and I am happy to have the opportunity to share my experiences and tell Gaza’s story from my own perspective with people from all different backgrounds. “

Welcome, Ala’!
A very warm welcome to our scholar for this year, Ala’ Mustafa. Ala’, from Al-Fara’ camp in the village of Tubas, northern West Bank, is studying for an MSc in health psychology. We wish her every success, especially at this difficult time.

Latest graduation: Nahil Al-Rumi
We’re delighted to announce our latest graduation. Nahil Al-Rumi, pictured here with her supervisor, attended the University of St Andrews’ graduation ceremony on 4th December to collect her Master’s degree. Nahil, who is already a qualified medical doctor, is continuing to learn having one a place as a clinical fellow at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

STEPS Alumna launches Gazan fashion brand

We’re delighted to learn of the launch of STEPS alumna Meera Albaba has fulfilled her dream of a launching a fashion brand in Gaza.
Pictured above: Karma Khayal modelling a long blazer dress. You can see more of Meera’s amazing designs here: https://www.instagram.com/meera_adnan/



