The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from the British Council, which included the Head of Examinations in the Middle East and North Africa region, Anas Muhammad, the Director of Examination Development, Alaa Al-Khatib, and the Accounting and Operation Officer, Sarah Al-Hassoun, where ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides were discussed, focusing on the possibility of accrediting Yarmouk as a center for holding the IELTS exam in the northern region of the Kingdom.
Massad expressed Yarmouk’s interest in developing the skills of its students in various fields, the most important of which is developing their linguistic abilities in the field of foreign languages in general, and the English language in particular, indicating that the University seeks to increase the content of courses taught in English for some specializations as well as courses that incorporate language skills. He then called for expanding the horizons of cooperation with the British Council to include holding preparatory lectures to prepare students for how to take the IELTS exam, suggesting the possibility of reducing the fees for applying for the exam for Yarmouk University students since the University is keen for helping its students to possess communication skills, the most important of which is language that is necessary to complete their postgraduate studies.
In return, the members of the delegation stressed the importance of cooperation with a distinguished Jordanian university like Yarmouk University, which enjoys a distinguished scientific reputation at the local and regional levels, stressing that the strategic partnership between the British Council and Yarmouk University should result in accrediting the University as a center for holding the IELTS exam in the northern Jordan region. This step, they added, would open doors for cooperation in other fields through the Higher Education Department and the Assistant Education Department at the British Center and in cooperation with the British Embassy in Amman, which will provide the opportunity for cooperation between Yarmouk and various British universities.
Moreover, the members of the delegation confirmed the Center’s readiness to hold introductory lectures on the exam for those wishing to take it, in addition to providing the opportunity for Yarmouk students wishing to take the exam to benefit -free of charge- from the IELTS exam advisor’s services provided by the Center. They also added that this cooperation came in response to the requirements of the Northern Region of Jordan, which includes large numbers of people wishing to take the IELTS exam required for completing graduate studies and immigration applications to native English countries.
- Mahafza stresses the importance of intercultural exchange, training, and workshops to achieve national aspirations.
- Massad overviews Yarmouk’s achievements, strengths, and future academic aspirations.
Chatzisavas: European-Jordanian cooperation in the field of higher education represents a true success story.
Al-Katamine calls for our universities and educational institutions to benefit from the academic products of developed countries
- Michael Dell’Amico praises Jordan's efforts in the field of comprehensive education for refugees.
The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Azmi Mahafza, in the presence of the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, sponsored the opening of the activities of the Fourth International Week of Yarmouk University, which got organized by the Department of International Relations and Projects, over three days in the Conferences and Seminars Building, with the participation of international universities, academic institutions, diplomatic missions and cultural attachés.
Mahafza began his speech by referring to the statement of His Majesty King Abdullah II in his message to Jordanians on his sixtieth birthday, where He defined the features of our national future: “We want a future in which we regain our leadership in the field of education, advance our economy, and enhance the efficiency and capabilities of our public sector, a future in which our private sector flourishes.” Mahafza referred to His Majesty’s emphasis on Jordan’s future aspirations and His pride in what Jordanians have accomplished despite the magnitude of the difficulties and challenges facing the region. He then pointed to the vision of economic modernization adopted by the government to establish “Smart Jordan,” indicating that the main factor in this engine is “higher education” in addition to “vocational and technical education and training,” “innovation in Research and development”, “entrepreneurship” and “start-ups”.
Moreover, Mahafza pointed out the decisive and important role of the government and universities in finding solutions to the country’s challenges and problems by developing modern programs that focus on competencies while providing these programs with innovative learning and teaching methods and creating an adequate budget. He also praised the efforts of Yarmouk University in holding successful training courses and international projects and organizing such activities and events that provide opportunities for cooperation, sharing and exchanging best practices, and stressing the role of globalization with regard to the exchange of experiences and services.
In his turn, Massad reviewed the establishment of Yarmouk University, its faculties, the health, scientific, and humanitarian specializations and programs it offers and the University’s interest in achieving quality in its academic programs and obtaining international accreditation for most of its academic programs, pointing to the University’s vision and aspirations in developing unique specializations. He then stressed the attention paid by Yarmouk to its international classifications file and the remarkable progress it has achieved over the past three years in the classification file. He also pointed out the most prominent strengths that distinguish Yarmouk University, including its strategic location and the pioneering faculties it includes at the level of official universities, such as the Faculty of Mass Communication, Al-Hussein bin Talal Library, the Refugees, Displaced Persons, and Forced Migration Studies Center, and the Language Center. In addition, he presented the University’s most prominent achievements, such as updating its study plans, increasing the number of courses taught in English for a number of its faculties, and offering language packages “Spanish, Turkish, German, French, and Chinese” for its students, in addition to building some investments in cooperation with the private sector to support the University’s progress and its future aspirations.
The European Union Ambassador to Amman, Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, pointed out that cooperation between the European Union and Jordan in the field of higher education represents a true success story, noting that about a thousand Jordanian and European students and employees have been able to benefit from the Union’s exchange programs.He added that Jordanian universities have benefited from more than 60 capacity-building projects, pointing out that these new projects focus on vocational training and youth. He also explained that through the Syrian education program funded by the European Union, about three thousand Syrian refugees and Jordanian students have so far been able to obtain the opportunity to complete their higher education, pointing out that a number of new initiatives will soon be announced to increase the size of scholarships for Jordanian citizens.
In the same context, the former Minister of Labor and Tourism, Dr. Nidal AlKatamine, stressed the importance of bridging the gap and linking the outputs of the academic sector with the needs of the labor market, stressing the need for our universities and educational institutions to benefit from the academic product in various sciences in the developed countries, with the aim of exchanging expertise, benefiting from experiences and transferring knowledge. This, he said, will reflect positively on the level of our human resources outputs and make them able to engage in the regional and international labor market efficiently and competently.
In return, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Jordan, Michael Dell’Amico, pointed out that despite the passage of 13 years since the Syrian crisis, the needs of refugees in Jordan are still great, indicating that the hope of most refugees at the present time is related to completing their school and university studies and acquiring various skills.He then praised the distinguished support shown by the Jordanian government concerning offering comprehensive education for refugees, noting that Jordan is considered a model of how to make comprehensive and equitable education a reality. Dell’Amico also appreciated Yarmouk University's decision to reduce the tuition fees for refugee students, declaring that the UNHCR intends to establish a higher education forum in Jordan with the participation of more than 15 different partners, including universities and governments, with the aim of working together to secure access to higher education opportunities for all refugees. He then pointed to the initiative of the Crown Prince Foundation, which aims at improving access to higher education, including vocational and technical education and training opportunities, supporting young people to acquire market-relevant skills, and enhancing youth ability to live independently.
Noteworthy here is that the week's activities include specialized sessions, training, and introductory workshops discussing a group of topics, such as “equity and inclusivity in higher education,” “digital transformation in higher education: trends and best practices,” “integrating sustainable development goals into higher education strategies,” and “ Virtual Student and Academic Exchange: Challenges and Opportunities,” “Innovation and Employment,” “Promoting Vocational Education and Training,”“Integrating Sustainable Development Concepts into Higher Education,” and other topics related to higher education and international networking in various scientific fields.
About one hundred participants from 28 countries participated in this week, in addition to a number of academic leaders, faculty members, directors and employees of international relations offices, and students from various Jordanian, Arab, and international universities, higher education institutions, and international organizations and bodies that support higher education, such as the United States Agency for International Development and the Academic Exchange Foundation, the German (DAAD), the American Fulbright Program, the Partnership in Scientific Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean (PRIMA) Program, and Abdul-Hameed Shoman Fund for Supporting Scientific Research, in addition to the participation of a number of local institutions such as the National Erasmus Plus Office, the Fund to Support Scientific Research, and the Student Network Erasmus of Jordan, and the Tourism Sector Revitalization Authority.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met a delegation from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), headed by the Regional Director of the DAAD Office in Amman, Benjamin Schmeling, to discuss ways of enhancing the existing cooperation between the two sides. During the meeting, Massad pointed to the rich history of cooperation between Yarmouk and the DAAD organization, where many students and faculty members in Yarmouk were able to benefit from the grants provided by the organization in various fields, which positively reflected on their scientific, cognitive and cultural level of participants and advanced the educational and research process in Yarmouk for the better. Moreover, he acknowledged the organization’s support of Yarmouk’s participation in international research projects alongside Arab and international universities, such as the project titled “Digitizing Cultural Heritage”, supported by the “Taziz” program.
Massad then stressed Yarmouk’s keenness to continue and enhance this cooperation by encouraging students to apply for scholarships offered by DAAD for various academic degrees and short-term scholarships related to learning the German language and providing the opportunity for faculty members to conduct scientific visits to various German educational institutions. Massad also pointed out the possibility of cooperation between the two sides through sending a German language teacher to teach the German language packages offered by the University’s Language Center.
In return, Schmeling praised the effective cooperation with Yarmouk University whose students and faculty members have always proven their competence to obtain various types of grants provided by DAAD, stressing the DAAD’s constant endeavor to consolidate its cooperation with Yarmouk University and provide it with the necessary support in areas of common interest.
The meeting was attended by the Dean of Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, the Director of the Department of International Relations and Projects, Dr. Muwaffaq Al-Atoum, and a number of officials in DAAD. However, the members of the delegation met then with a group of faculty members and students at the University to explain the process of DAAD scholarships and how to apply for them.
The American Concrete Institute student branch in the Department of Civil Engineering at Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology in Yarmouk University won the Outstanding Student Branch Award from the American Concrete Institute for the third year in a row. The Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Muwaffaq Otoom, indicated that this achievement comes as a result of the sustained work of the student branch in the Faculty in promoting student activities and stimulating innovation in the field of civil engineering and concrete technology, pointing out that the repeated awards received by Yarmouk Branch are the best evidence of the quality and sustainability of the Faculty’s activities and programs. He also stressed that this achievement reflects the continuous efforts and notable contributions made by the cadre of the student Branch at Yarmouk University.
The supervisor of the student Branch at Yarmouk University, Dr. Fares Matalqa, indicated that this award comes as a culmination of the collective and continuous work demonstrated by all members of the Branch towards enhancing awareness of the importance of the fields of civil engineering, remarking that the Branch submitted a comprehensive annual report of its activities during the year 2023, which was evaluated by experts at the American Concrete Institute that decided to grant Yarmouk Branch the 2023 award.
Yarmouk University and the International Research and Exchange Council (IREX) signed a memorandum of understanding, at the University’s liaison office in Amman to coordinate joint efforts for developing, presenting, sustaining and marketing the early education project (ASAS) at the University’s Faculty of Educational Sciences. The memorandum was signed by the University’s President, Professor Islam Massad, and the director of the Early Education Program (ASAS) at the International Research and Exchange Council, Dr. Cameron Mirza, in the presence of the Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, Dr. Ahmed Al-Sharifin, the first director of teacher preparation programs at “ASAS,” Dr. Saeb Ali Khasawneh, and the project coordinator at Yarmouk University, Selin Nino.
Massad affirmed the commitment of Yarmouk University, through the Faculty of Educational Sciences, to develop a classroom teacher program plan and legislation related to accepting students based on the needs of the Jordanian, Arab, and regional labor market. This plan, he explained, aims at providing qualitative education for students and enhancing the scientific and academic reputation of the University in implementing the specialty of classroom teacher and other specializations that provide the Ministry of Education with qualified teachers. He then pointed to the University’s plan to market the early education program (ASAS) and attract high-quality students to join the program, pointing out the University’s keenness to actively participate in the committees that lead the development of policies and instructions related to the program, as evident in its endeavor to develop its faculty members.
For his part, Mirza confirmed that (ASAS) is a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development, which aims at developing the classroom teacher program at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at Yarmouk University by enhancing the institutional performance of the University, developing curricula and teaching-learning materials, enhancing practical training, and supporting the University’s infrastructure.
The team of the Faculty of Law at Yarmouk University won the first place award in the Tenth Arab Moot Court Competition, which was hosted by the Kuwait International Faculty of Law in the sisterly state of Kuwait. The team included the female students, Hiraa Shaaban, Nola Al-Hallaj, Islam Al-Moumni, and Sarah Al-Asmar, who were trained by Dr. Wassef Al-Zboun, Dr. Alaa Al-Darawsheh, and Dr. Diala Al-Ta’ani. After holding 5 rounds of the competition in its different stages (preliminary, quarter-final, semi-final, and final), 18 universities from 13 participating Arab countries got qualified.
The competition simulates the daily attacks by the Israeli occupation army on defenseless people in the Gaza Strip and other safe areas, attempting to emphasize that there should be a change in the way the Palestinian legal right is presented before international courts. The final competition was between Yarmouk University and Cadi Ayyad University from the Kingdom of Morocco.
It is noteworthy that Yarmouk University qualified to participate in this competition, after obtaining first place in the national qualifiers for the moot court organized by the Kuwait International Faculty of Law at the level of Jordanian universities. The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, congratulated the University family in general and the Faculty of Law in particular, on this achievement, stressing the University’s interest and permanent vision to support its students and contribute to their future as evident in its several projects and programs designed to teach students in a way that prepares them for the labor market.
Representing the Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, the Committee’s Economic Empowerment Programs Coordinator, Dima Arabiyat, in the presence of the Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Dr. Muwaffaq Al-Atoum, and the President of the Society of Women in Engineering at Jordan Branch, Dr. Yusra Obaidat, sponsored the launch of the “Empower Her” event, on the occasion of the International Day for women, organized by the Society of Women in Engineering, Yarmouk University Branch, in cooperation with the Society of Women in Engineering, Branch of the Jordan University of Science and Technology.
Arabiyat stressed the importance of continuous support for women in all fields, which was emphasized by His Majesty King Abdullah II, who has always supported women and appreciated their efforts in various international forums, expressing Jordanian women’s pride in Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah on the occasion of her receiving the studded Renaissance Medal for her pioneering role in advancing the Jordanian society and unleashing its creative energies. She then praised the efforts of Yarmouk University represented by its community of women in engineering for organizing this distinguished event to celebrate International Women's Day.
Al-Atoum affirmed the Faculty’s support for its female students and the endeavor to involve them in various activities in an attempt to refine their personalities and increase their skills on the practical and personal levels; concurrently, he called on the female students to participate in the Student Union elections and to work towards representing female students within the quota allocated by the University and the Deanship of Student Affairs. Moreover, Al-Atoum appreciated the University administration’s continued support for women by working to empower them in various fields, as evident in the University’s appointment of several female colleagues in various leadership positions at the University.
For her part, Dr. Yusra Obaidat, President of the Society of Women in Engineering, Jordan Branch, and Community Supervisor at Yarmouk University, emphasized the status of women in Islam, the great role that women played in ancient and modern societies and their success in all fields, and the support of the Hashemite leadership for women’s participation in decision-making and their assuming leadership and political positions.
During the event, student Nagham Sawalha stressed the importance of the role of women in society and the importance of organizing such events that support women regardless of their different roles in society. Similarly, student Lyn Al-Zuhd, head of the Women in Engineering Society, Yarmouk branch, also expressed her happiness in participating in organizing this type of event that enhances female students’ capabilities and refines their personalities, reviewing a number of inspiring stories about the importance of supporting women.
Moreover, the event included discussion sessions and distinguished success stories of Jordanian women who achieved success and caused a significant impact on society, such as Ms. Riyad Al-Zuhd, Dr. Alaa Al-Azzam, engineer Salma Amairi, pilot Nadine Katameen, and Dr. Samah Al-Ajjawi. The event also included an exhibition of engineering projects made by female students, crafts and artistic projects made by creative young Jordanian women, and medical and awareness projects.
His Majesty King Abdullah II bestowed on Yarmouk University Radio “Yarmouk FM” the Silver Jubilee Medal, which was received by its director, Dr. Zuhair Al-Tahat, on the sidelines of the Royal visit to Irbid Governorate and His Majesty’s meeting with representatives of the people of the governorate in the Gardens of King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein. This high award was given to Yarmouk FM radio and other personalities and institutions in Irbid Governorate in appreciation of their contributions to serving Jordan, especially the sons and daughters of the local community.
In this context, the President of Yarmouk University, Dr. Islam Massad, stated that getting this high royal honor by Yarmouk FM Radio is a tribute to Yarmouk University as a whole and its brilliant endeavor in serving the Jordanian higher education sector. He added that Yarmouk FM Radio deserves this great honor for its efforts in addressing the different national issues and articulating the University’s goals. He then praised the efforts of the students and staff of Yarmouk FM Radio for their involvement in Yarmouk University’s project of carrying the national media message and promoting its progress in accordance with the lofty values of journalism profession.
- Al-Maaytah: Yarmouk honors Al-Rifai for his wisdom and effective contribution in serving Jordan.
- Massad: Al-Rifai enjoys exceptional characteristics in national, political, humanitarian, and international work.
Al-Rifai thanks Yarmouk and calls for concerted efforts to advance its progress as a distinguished University in Jordan.
Yarmouk University granted the former Chairman of its Board of Trustees and former Prime Minister, Zaid Al-Rifai, an honorary doctorate degree in Political Science from the Faculty of Arts, in the presence of a number of Al-Rifai family members, the Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, Professor Ruwaida Al-Maaytah, and the University President, Professor Islam Massad.
Al-Maaytah said that this day is one of the immortal days of Yarmouk University, as it honors one of the nation’s great figures who dedicated themselves to the country’s advancement and renaissance. She added that honoring Al-Rifai today from Yarmouk University is a tribute to his great wisdom, his broad culture, his insightful vision, and his enlightened thought, stressing that this honor is a showcase of his great efforts and achievements and his honorable history of serving the Jordanian state in all the positions he held. She also pointed out Al-Rifai’s contribution to supporting Yarmouk University while serving as the Chairman of its Board of Trustees.
For his part, Massad said that granting this honorary degree to Al-Rifai is to acknowledge his great achievements in serving the Jordanian state in all fields for more than half a century. He explained that Al-Rifai played an active historical role in the country’s political life beginning with his assuming the prime ministership in 1973 when he was in his thirties and his formation of four governments during which Jordan witnessed pivotal events and transformations. He added that Al-Rifai enjoys exceptional characteristics in his national, political, humanitarian, and international work while serving Jordan alongside King Hussein - may God have mercy on him - and His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein.
For his part, Al-Rifai thanked Yarmouk University, praising the efforts of its teaching and administrative staff members and students in elevating its status and contributing to its development, calling for concerted efforts to advance its progress and achievements in a way that raises its status as a distinguished university in Jordan.
The Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. Mohammad Al-Zubaidi, recited the decision of the Council of Deans to grant Al-Rifai an honorary doctorate degree in political science with all its rights and privileges.
During the ceremony, which was moderated by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dr. Mohammad Al-Anqara, a video was screened documenting stages of Al-Rifai’s career and his achievements at the level of Jordan and highlighting his most prominent activities, efforts, and contributions to the progress and development of Yarmouk University.
The preparation of scientific competencies in various fields of knowledge, and the production of innovative scientific research aims to serve society by providing exemplary education in an intellectually stimulating university environment.
