Personal Info
- Country of residence: Portugal
Information
Academic Rank: Assistant Professor
Current Position: Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
Institution: Al-Quds Open University
College: College of Educational Sciences
Field of Specialization: Psychological and Educational Guidance
Academic Profile
Dr. Iyad Bassam Ahmed Ishtayeh is an Assistant Professor of Psychological and Educational Guidance at Al-Quds Open University. He currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, following a distinguished career combining university teaching, academic administration, psychological and educational counseling, research, professional training, and community service.
Dr. Ishtayeh holds a PhD in Psychological and Educational Guidance from the University of Jordan, awarded in 2022. He obtained a Master's degree in Psychological Counseling from Al-Quds University in 2015 and a Bachelor's degree in Social Development, specializing in Social Service, from Al-Quds Open University in 2006.
Professional Experience
Dr. Ishtayeh began his professional career as a Program Coordinator at the Palestinian Peace Coalition, where he worked from 2004 to 2009. Between 2006 and 2007, he also served as a Training Unit Consultant at the Watan Center for Women Leaders.
He joined Al-Quds Open University in 2009 as an administrative employee and subsequently held several academic and administrative leadership positions. From 2010 to 2013, he served as Head of the Alumni Follow-up Department, followed by his role as Head of the Graduate Follow-up Division. He later served as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs from 2016 to 2025.
From February 2025 to August 2026, Dr. Ishtayeh served as Acting Dean of the College of Educational Sciences. In September 2026, he assumed his current position as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Research and Academic Interests
Dr. Ishtayeh's primary research interest is Psychological and Educational Guidance, with particular attention to psychological security, self-efficacy, life skills, academic motivation, psychological stress, resilience, counseling interventions, and the psychological well-being of students and different community groups.
His research and academic activities have addressed issues including unemployment anxiety and self-efficacy among university students, psychological security and life skills, psychological capital and perceived self-efficacy, digital mental health, academic advising, coping strategies, family cohesion, psychological adjustment, and psychological resilience.
Scientific Research and Publications
Dr. Ishtayeh has contributed to peer-reviewed research, including the published study “Unemployment Anxiety and its Relationship to Self-Efficacy among Final-Year Students at Al-Quds University”, published in 2016 in the Jordanian Journal of Educational Sciences.
In 2021, he co-authored the study “Psychological Security and its Relationship to Life Skills among Palestinian University Students Participating in the Excellence Program,” published in the Al-Quds Open University Journal for Educational and Psychological Research and Studies.
In 2026, he contributed to the peer-reviewed research article “Psychological Capital as a Predictor of Perceived Self-Efficacy among Al-Quds Open University Students,” published in the International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences.
He has also presented research at regional and international academic conferences, including work addressing the quality of training programs and their relationship to students' perceived professional competence, as well as the management of modern educational processes in a digitally transformed world.
Academic Supervision and Examination
Dr. Ishtayeh has played an active role in postgraduate education through the supervision and examination of Master's and doctoral theses at several Palestinian universities. His academic contributions include supervising and examining research addressing psychological security, psychological stress, family cohesion, coping strategies, academic performance, digital mental health, emotional intelligence, psychological resilience, future anxiety, psychological adjustment, social support, and counseling programs.
His postgraduate academic work has included supervision and examination at Al-Quds Open University, Al-Quds University, An-Najah National University, and Al-Istiqlal University.
Academic and Professional Leadership
Throughout his career, Dr. Ishtayeh has participated in numerous academic, professional, scientific, and administrative committees. His responsibilities have included membership and leadership in university graduation committees, survey-study procedure committees, institutional self-evaluation committees, employment and training committees, and scientific conference committees.
He has also served on the Scientific Committee of the conference “Education Under Difficulties: Prospects for Palestinian Resilience and Creativity,” organized by Al-Quds Open University in cooperation with MEPLI Fellows at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education.
In February 2026, he chaired a scientific session at the conference “Education from a Developmental Perspective: Paths to Resilience and Survival,” organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, the Palestinian Education Coalition, the Teacher Creativity Center, and Al-Quds Open University.
Training, Counseling, and Community Engagement
Dr. Ishtayeh has extensive experience in providing psychological and educational training and consulting services to students, educators, and community institutions. His activities have included training on case-report writing in special education centers, preparing and using Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training for counseling psychology students, and psychological preparation for high school students.
He has also delivered lectures and participated in seminars addressing examination anxiety, psychological preparation, youth resilience, bullying, children's mental health, and the psychological impact of difficult social circumstances.
His community engagement has extended to cooperation with governmental, educational, professional, and civil society organizations, including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor, Palestinian Red Crescent Society, and other community and professional institutions.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Ishtayeh received the First Place Award in the Arab Student Creativity Forum organized by the Arab Council for Student Training and Creativity affiliated with the Association of Arab Universities in 2024.
He also received the Arab Youth Excellence Award from the Arab Youth Council for Integrated Development affiliated with the League of Arab States in 2016.
Overall Contribution
Dr. Iyad Bassam Ahmed Ishtayeh has established a multifaceted academic and professional profile combining psychological and educational guidance, university leadership, research, postgraduate supervision, professional training, and community engagement. His work demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing psychological and educational counseling and contributing to the development of students, educators, and educational institutions in Palestine.
Source
Achievements and Awards
- Years in active
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