Birzeit University (BZU) (Arabic: جامعة بيرزيت‎) is a university located in Birzeit near Ramallah, Palestinian territories. BZU is among the foremost tertiary educational institutes in the Palestinian territories and has played a significant role in the Palestinian political dialogue. The institution was originally founded in 1924 by Nabiha Nasser as an elementary school for girls from Birzeit and the surrounding villages. It was one of the first schools in the area. In 1930, it became a co-educational secondary school, and in 1932 was renamed Birzeit Higher School. In 1942, the name was changed to Birzeit College to be in harmony with its educational secondary level. In 1953, a freshman higher education class was incorporated to Birzeit College, followed by a sophomore class in 1961. The university's president, Hanna Nasser, was deported by Israel in 1974 and only allowed to return with the beginning of the peace process in 1993. Birzeit University is the first institution of higher education to be established in the Palestinian territories.