Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie organized an austerity dinner to launch the Needy Students Fund. The event was attended by the governor of the governorate of Tulkarem Isam Abu Bakr, representatives of private companies, businessmen, representatives of official and civil institutions, the employees' syndicate at PTUK and the student council. Solidarity Fund a Supplementary Step.. In his speech, Prof. Marwan Awartani explained that the launch of the Needy Students Fund came as a joint initiative between the university, the employees syndicate and the students’ Council, referring to the fact that the university has not raised its tuitions in the past seven years and that the university grants scholarships to almost four thousand of its students. Prof. Awartnai added that launching this Fund is a supplementary step in the provision of university education for the needy students whose financial situation constitutes a barrier to the completion of their higher education. Prof. Awartani also referred to the fact that establishing this fund “stems from the social responsibility of the university towards its basic components- the students-“.