DUBAI: When Balsam received an unconditional offer from a UK university to continue her studies in artificial intelligence, it felt as though a door had opened offering a way out of war-torn Gaza to a parallel universe.
Lancaster University waived its usual English-language proficiency test and offered the 27-year-old an unconditional place to pursue a master’s degree in a field she loves.
Her ambition is to design accessible learning tools for children in conflict zones who have lost access to classrooms.
That goal, however, may yet remain out of reach, as Balsam remains trapped in Gaza, where Israel’s blockades and bombardment have sealed nearly every exit.
Palestinian student Balsam s one of many talented young Gazans who earned places at universities in Europe and the US, only to see their futures deferred by closed borders, stalled visas and a grinding war. (Supplied)
