Interdisciplinary Research (IR) integrates knowledge, skills, and methodologies from multiple scientific fields to address complex challenges at both local and global levels. At An-Najah National University, interdisciplinary science research is a central pillar of the University’s research mission and long-term strategic vision. It strengthens innovation, advances sustainability, and supports community and national development.
Facts & Figures (2025)
To ensure excellence and accountability, the University has established a structured framework with clear performance indicators to evaluate the quality, impact, and sustainability of interdisciplinary research across its faculties, institutes, and research centers. Including:
Dimensions and Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Research Success An-Najah National University assesses interdisciplinary research across four interconnected dimensions: academic advancement and knowledge integration, societal contribution and real-world impact, professional development and research leadership, and the strength of collaborative networks among researchers and stakeholders. This multidimensional approach ensures a balanced evaluation, guiding sustainable growth and meaningful outcomes.
To support these evaluations, the University employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative tools, including bibliometric analyses, research performance databases, institutional reporting systems, strategic reviews, and qualitative assessments. Internal audits and public reporting further enhance transparency and accountability. All measurement processes are closely aligned with ANNU’s research strategy, institutional quality assurance standards, international benchmarking practices, and national development priorities. Through continuous monitoring and strategic refinement, ANNU ensures that its interdisciplinary research remains academically rigorous, socially impactful, financially sustainable, and globally competitive.
At An-Najah National University, interdisciplinary research outcomes demonstrate a strong commitment to integrating knowledge across scientific and applied fields to address complex challenges. Through collaborative projects, joint publications, competitive grants, and innovation outputs, interdisciplinary research has become a key driver of academic excellence and societal impact. Notably, 59% of the University’s publications are multidisciplinary, and more than 62% directly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This growing percentage of interdisciplinary research reflects the University’s scientific research policies, which actively promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, innovation, and sustainable development.
Sample of An-Najah National University interdisciplinary Research Publications:
ANNU IR Sample
An-Najah National University takes part in respected international ranking systems that measure interdisciplinary research performance, including the Interdisciplinary Science Rankings published by Times Higher Education. These rankings look at how well universities support interdisciplinary research, the strength of their research funding, the effectiveness of their collaborative structures, and the quality and impact of their research outputs.
In an important international achievement, An-Najah has strengthened its position on the global university map for the second year in a row, showing clear progress compared to the previous year. In the second edition of the Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (THE ISR) 2026, the University ranked first and was the only Palestinian university included, placed 15th in the Arab region, and ranked 112th worldwide.
An-Najah fosters interdisciplinary research through structured institutional platforms, including research institutes, specialized centers, and advanced laboratories. These entities create an enabling environment where researchers from different faculties collaborate on shared scientific goals.
The effectiveness of this infrastructure is assessed through participation levels, shared facility utilization, infrastructure investment outcomes, and administrative performance indicators. Dedicated research support staff work closely with academic units to maintain an efficient and collaborative research ecosystem.
At An-Najah National University, interdisciplinary research has led to significant innovation outcomes, including more than six patents and technological advancements. These achievements reflect the University’s commitment to transforming research into practical applications and technological solutions that benefit society. In addition, interdisciplinary efforts have generated startup ventures, spin-off companies, and active technology transfer initiatives, further supporting commercialization, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic development.
Example of Interdisciplinary Startups & Spin-Off Companies:
AI-Pharmassist
Founded in 202 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Medicine
AI-powered wearable device designed to help patients manage prescriptions, improve treatment adherence, and eliminate medication errors. The smartwatch reminds users when to take their medications and provides real-time adherence reports to healthcare providers. Reduces wasted medication, improves health outcomes, and offers emergency care alerts for elderly, chronic illness patients, and those with memory-related disorders.
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CareSync+
Founded in 2025 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Medicine
AI-enabled home healthcare platform integrating wearable devices for real-time health monitoring. Supports preventive healthcare through predictive analytics, reducing hospital visits and resource strain. Enhances accessibility, affordability, and quality of care, especially in underserved communities, while reducing unnecessary travel and paper-based health records.
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Healthy Scan
Founded in 2025 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Life Science
AI-based mobile app that scans and analyzes food labels to provide nutritional insights and healthier alternatives. Promotes informed food choices and reduces health risks, supporting sustainable health practices.
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Mohja Health App
Founded in 2024 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Medicine
Muhja is an AI-powered digital health platform that supports maternal and early childhood care during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. The application provides personalized, data-driven guidance and connects mothers with pediatric healthcare professionals through an integrated, scalable system. By combining artificial intelligence, health expertise, and user-centered design, Muhja enhances preventive care, health awareness, and access to reliable maternal and child health services.
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Jada Housing Platform
Founded in 2024 Website: Disciplines: Engineering and Computer Science
AI-powered housing platform that connects students to verified rentals near campus. Reduces time, costs, and unnecessary travel for students searching for accommodation, improving urban efficiency and reducing associated carbon footprint from repeated travel.
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Mediguardian
Founded in 2024 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Medicine
Smart drug container connected to a mobile app or smartwatch to track medication usage and reduce the risk of misuse or addiction. Enhances safe medicine consumption and prevents waste through timely dosage alerts. Addresses a widespread public health concern by improving prescription monitoring for patients and governments.
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ADEL
Founded in 2023 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Law
With ADEL, say goodbye to lost files and human errors! A revolutionary shift for law firms with fully digital systems. We save time, organize workflows, and offer a smart chat system. The first comprehensive legal platform for law firm management in Arabic, serving the Arab world.
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ECOGREEN
Founded in 2023 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Life Sciences
ECOGREEN develops smart agricultural and environmental tech solutions, utilizing IoT, AI, and renewable energy (e.g., solar). Their mission is to promote sustainability in small-to-medium farms through precision farming and eco-resource management, reducing environmental footprint.
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Edu-tech
Founded in 2023 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Educational
Edutech merges education and modern technology, but in a different way that will improve the quality of education and consolidate information in the student's mind. Edutech focuses primarily on integrating virtual reality with university education to enhance students' understanding of the material and make the learning experience more realistic. Edutech is a simple website that connects students who want to learn with experienced students who can give lessons for a fee. These lessons can be either in-person or online, and in both cases, there are options to include virtual reality. Edutech will provide virtual reality equipment to students by renting it out with the required lecture for a small fee that benefits the company and is at the same time affordable for students. The lectures are prepared by the company and contain the study material for the student using virtual or augmented reality, for example, to transport the student to the human body to learn about the processes that take place inside it.
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ECO PAPE
Founded in 2022 Website: Disciplines: Engineering and Life Sciences
Developing a sustainable solution for the vast quantities of olive pulp, a byproduct of olive oil extraction, is crucial due to its significant polluting potential and the environmental challenges associated with its disposal. The global scale of olive production amplifies this issue, demanding innovative waste management strategies. This project focuses on extracting pure cellulose from olive pulp and utilizing it to produce cellulose-based paper. By transforming this waste into a value-added product, we not only mitigate pollution but also contribute to resource efficiency and environmental sustainability.
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ALLERGY
Founded in 2022 Website: Disciplines: Medicine and Computer Science
We propose the development of a comprehensive solution tailored to individuals with food allergies, encompassing both a user-friendly mobile application and an online store. Our innovative application will revolutionize how users navigate food products by employing cutting-edge technology to scan and analyze ingredient lists. By seamlessly comparing ingredients with the user's specific allergens, the app swiftly alerts users to potential risks, empowering them to make informed decisions about what they consume. Additionally, our curated online store will cater exclusively to individuals with various allergies, offering a diverse range of meticulously vetted products that meet their dietary needs. This integrated approach not only enhances accessibility to safe food options but also fosters a supportive community for individuals managing food allergies.
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Eco-spire
Founded in 2021 Website: Disciplines: Engineering and Life Sciences
The first-ever eco-friendly packaging material proudly Made in Palestine, and achieved without cutting down a single tree! Olive trees are a staple of the Palestinian landscape. Their olives contribute significantly to the local economy. However, this abundance creates a waste problem: olive pulp. This byproduct has a foul odor, attracts swarms of insects, and is typically disposed of by burning. This practice releases dangerous toxic pollution and reduces crop yields, harming both Palestinian livelihoods and the environment.
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Smart Hand
Founded in 2021 Website: Disciplines: Medicine, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering and Technology
The Smart Hand Project is a device in the shape of a glove that is worn on the hand. It contains all kinds of sensors responsible for measuring the vital signs in the human body. Through it, we can obtain an electrocardiogram (EKG) by simply placing the palm of the hand on the heart. It is completely free of any external wires and has no disturbing sounds. It is connected to an application on the mobile phone that analyzes all the data and can predict the occurrence of any future diseases.
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ADHD Robotics
Founded in 2021 Website: Disciplines: Life Sciences and Computer Science
This project explores a new approach to treating ADHD in children, particularly in regions with high prevalence like Palestine. Traditional methods like medication or therapy have limitations, and animal-assisted therapy, while effective, isn't always accessible. The project proposes robot-assisted therapy as a safe, effective, and affordable alternative. The study at ANNU showed significant improvement in ADHD symptoms for children who received robot therapy compared to traditional methods. The robot acts as a companion, playing games, offering support, and collecting data to personalize the therapy. This research suggests robot-assisted therapy has the potential to be a valuable tool in helping children with ADHD reach their full potential.
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Green Energy
Founded in 2021 Website: Disciplines: Engineering and Life Sciences
The idea of this project is to create a new way to produce electrical energy and use it in several ways, using the heat generated or generated from the central heating system in universities or institutions to convert this heat into stored electricity that can be used in several uses, including lighting or providing dedicated places for charging mobile phones in a beautiful way. Also, in order to make electricity available throughout the year, solar cells have been used by adding them to the project. Thus, we have two renewable sources of electrical energy.
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Ezra’a
Founded in 2020 Website: Disciplines: Engineering and Life Sciences
Due to diminishing arable land and increasing population, humanity needs to double its agricultural production by 2050. Agriculture currently accounts for 70% of total water consumption, with excessive pesticide use exacerbating environmental concerns. Introducing Ezra’a, an advanced hydroponic farming system designed for small-scale installation in ordinary homes, not exceeding 4 square meters. Ezra’a yields vegetables 5-10 times more efficiently than traditional farming while consuming 70% less water, requiring minimal space. Beneficiaries include individuals seeking additional income sources, health-conscious consumers, people with disabilities, and youth. The impact is increased vegetable productivity, reduced water and chemical consumption, and the transformation of cities into greener spaces.
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Brill
Founded in 2020 Website: Disciplines: Computer Science and Engineering
Due to the challenges faced by the blind in navigating the internet and reading texts, as well as the lack of privacy in their assistive devices, we have devised a solution to aid the blind, their centers, and individuals with visual impairments. We have developed a device that enables them to browse the internet in Arabic by converting text to Braille using Bluetooth. Additionally, we have incorporated glasses with a camera that analyzes any text it sees, converts it to Braille, and reads it aloud. One of the key features of this design is its user-friendly interface and wireless functionality. Its affordability makes it accessible to all, and its compact size allows users to carry it anywhere, ensuring their privacy.
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Jusoor labs
Founded in 2019 Website: https://jusoorlabs.com/ Disciplines: Computer Science and Engineering
Jusoor is an educational platform that provides virtual laboratories for science subjects to solve the problem of lack of equipment and materials, their high cost, or the danger of some experiments. This allows university and school students to enjoy laboratories and experience them online easily and safely at any time.
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Interdisciplinary grant success represents a key indicator of research strength and collaboration. An-Najah’s University monitors the number and value of interdisciplinary proposals submitted, their success rates, total research income generated, and the growth of average grant size over time. Financial sustainability, including indirect cost recovery and efficient resource utilization, is also reviewed.
Dedicated research development and administrative teams provide continuous support to faculty members in preparing competitive cross-disciplinary proposals, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and funding requirements.
Over 10 interdisciplinary training workshops and mentorship programs are conducted annually, benefiting more than 1,200 researchers and students. These initiatives equip faculty and students with essential skills for effective collaboration across disciplines.
1. Bridging Disciplines: Strategies for Effective Interdisciplinary Research.
2. Collaborative Research Methodologies: Integrating Science, Technology, and Humanities.
3. From Concept to Impact: Navigating Interdisciplinary Grant Writing & Funding.
4. Data Science for All: Leveraging AI & Big Data in Multidisciplinary Research.
5. Sustainability in Research: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Addressing Global Challenges.
6. Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Interdisciplinary Research.
7. Ethical Considerations & Integrity in Multidisciplinary Research Projects.
8. Translational Research: Connecting Academia with Industry & Policy-Making.
9. Effective Communication & Leadership in Interdisciplinary Research Teams.
10. Interdisciplinary Case Studies: Lessons from Successful Research Initiatives – Learning from real-world examples of interdisciplinary breakthroughs.
11. Policy & Advocacy: Translating Research into Societal Impact – Strategies for influencing public policy and implementing research findings into practice.
12. Interdisciplinary Publishing & Academic Writing Strategies – Writing techniques for publishing interdisciplinary research in high-impact journals.
ANNU recognizes that the success of interdisciplinary research relies not only on measurable outputs but also on strong collaborative processes. Building cross-faculty research teams, developing joint proposals, and maintaining sustained engagement among researchers from diverse academic backgrounds are key indicators of progress. To support this, the university actively promotes workshops, seminars, and collaborative initiatives that foster communication, shared learning, and long-term partnerships across disciplines. In 2025 ANNU has established over 25 active partnerships with international universities, research institutions, industry partners, and NGOs, driving impactful research, enhancing global engagement, and facilitating knowledge exchange across multiple fields.
The Interdisciplinary Research Groups were established in 2020 at ANNU to bridge gaps between disciplines, generate ideas across the university, and strengthen top-level research. Today, ANNU hosts 37 interdisciplinary research groups that bring together experts from diverse fields to collaborate on joint projects. By combining their unique perspectives and skills, these groups address complex challenges that cannot be solved by a single discipline, advancing innovation in areas such as digital transformation, healthcare, and technology policy. In addition, the groups enhance awareness of scholars’ expertise and research interests across the ANNU community, fostering collaboration within and beyond the clusters. Through the integration of multiple disciplines, they promote impactful, policy-relevant research that responds to pressing societal needs and drives cross-disciplinary innovation.
Browse Our IR Groups:
