The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, the University’s academic and administrative staff and students extend their sincere congratulations to His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein and his trustworthy Crown Prince, Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II, on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of Jordan’s independence. Massad stated that this occasion is adored by all Jordanians due to its association with the nation’s glorious history, liberation, and pride. It represents a remarkable piece of evidence on Jordan’s success in liberating its national decision and unleashing the energies and creativity of Jordanians to build the foundations of the modern state and strengthen the country’s march towards freedom and independence. He then emphasized that Yarmouk University, represented by its academic and administrative staff and students, affirms its commitment to serve the country loyally by promoting its international status and maximizing its achievements motivated by the visions, directives, and support of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, sponsored the opening of the activities of the first international conference for translation studies entitled: "Translation in the Arab World: Challenges, Hopes, and Aspirations", which lasted for two days and was organized by the Department of Translation at the Faculty of Arts at the University. In his opening speech of the conference, Massad emphasized our need for an applied science of translation, an approach that not only transfers information, knowledge, and culture among peoples, but also provides Yarmouk graduates with the knowledge and skill to succeed in their translation careers. He then pointed out that translation is a functional approach to understand other peoples and cultures and interact with them, wishing that the conference contributes to the field of translation studies and enhances the participants’ as well as attendees’ knowledge and skill.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Musa Rababaa, said that the holding of the first international conference for translation embodies the University’s interest in translation as a field of knowledge that contributes to the interaction among civilizations and a tool for communication between peoples. He then pointed out that translation is a science whose borders and pillars are not known except by those who have experienced translation by practicing it. He also stressed that the role of informed and proficient translation in the era of digitization and artificial intelligence is getting very important due to huge developments in the field of technological communication.
Dr. Yasser Suleiman from the University of Cambridge delivered a speech on behalf of the participants in the conference praising the efforts of those in charge of organizing the conference and acknowledging their endeavor to motivate translation specialists to play a crucial role in bridging the rift, reuniting nations, and opening up several global horizons for cultural communication. Suleiman then pointed to the conference's interest in the regional dimension of translation by hosting several scientific papers dealing with the Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish languages, praising the invaluable benefit of the many scientific papers presented in Arabic on the role of the Arabic language in translational research.
In his turn, the head of the translation department, Professor Ahmed Al-Harahsheh, delivered a speech in which he said that translation is one of the most important means of transferring knowledge, culture, and ideas between civilizations. He also stressed the need for the translator to be free of personal and ideological opinions and positions when translating the text. He then pointed out that the conference aims at studying the challenges, hopes, and aspirations of translation in the Arab world as it scrutinizes the status of translation in the labor market.
The conference sessions, in which a number of academics, researchers, and translators from the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, the Republic of Algeria, the State of Palestine, and the Kingdom of Morocco participated beside some Jordanian specialists, tackled several topics such as parallel texts, translation and communication between cultures, technology in teaching translation, and the reality of literary translation from Hebrew to Arabic, and from Arabic to Hebrew. The sessions also addressed topics like the process of pre-translation in the literary text, the problem of translating Persian cultural elements into Arabic, the employment of symbolism in Hebrew literary works, the history of translating the meanings of Holy Quran into Hebrew, translating Ophthalmic Terminology from Spanish into Arabic, challenges of the Legal Translator in the Age of Digitization, Discrimination and Shifting Emphasis in Translation, His Majesty’s Discourses: Translation as Narrative, Neuro-Machine Translation of Press Titles, and translation and Sign Language Interpreters.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with the President of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Council, Dr. Ricardo Leon-Borquez, who was visiting Yarmouk University to investigate the procedures and steps implemented by Yarmouk Faculty of Medicine to obtain the international accreditation for medical education. Massad emphasized the interest attached by the University administration to the Faculty of Medicine, mentioning that it is one of the most distinguished faculties in the university and that its faculty members are graduates from the most prestigious international universities in the medical field. He then pointed to the interest given by the Faculty of Medicine to the issue of ethics related to medical professions and the importance of including it in the curriculum and study plans of the faculty. He also stated that Yarmouk is interested in obtaining the international accreditation for its various programs, as evident in the Faculty of Pharmacy, which obtained the international ACPE accreditation, and the computer engineering, electronics engineering, and industrial engineering departments at Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, which obtained the American academic accreditation for engineering and technology (ABET).
Leon-Borquez, in return, confirmed that his visit to Yarmouk aims at reviewing the procedures implemented by the Faculty of Medicine to obtain the international accreditation for medical education, the medical laboratories in the Faculty, the extent of readiness of classrooms, the study plans used in the Faculty and their compatibility with the requirements of international accreditation for medical education. He stressed that the accreditation is a measure for the quality of the faculty’s program and whether that program copes with the best international standards and practices. He also pointed out that obtaining the international accreditation by the Faculty of Medicine will help students get a better opportunity to complete their postgraduate studies in international universities, get certain training and specialization opportunities, and obtain job opportunities in various countries.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Manar Al-Lawama, gave a presentation about the faculty, where she reviewed the establishment of the faculty, the number of its students and faculty members, the study plans, the examination and evaluation system, the faculty’s scientific laboratories, and the methods of teaching and training.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, in the presence of a number of accredited ambassadors and cultural attachés of a number of embassies in Amman, inaugurated the National Heritage Exhibition for Arab and international communities, which was organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs over the course of three days. The opening of the exhibition, which was preceded by a procession of flags carried by the students of the participating countries, got attended by the Mexican Ambassador, Roberto Rodriguez-Hernandez, the Ambassador of Panama, Jose Ulises Lescure, the Venezuelan Ambassador, Omar Vielma Osuna, the Indonesian Ambassador, Adi Padmo Sarono, the Bahraini Deputy Ambassador, Hussain Muhammad Al Mahmoud, the Spanish Deputy, Estepalez Rodriguez, the Chilean Consul, Rene Rojas, the Saudi Cultural attaché, Dr. Issa Al-Rumaih, the Malaysian cultural attaché, Dr. Radwan Abdul Rashid, and the Pakistani attaché, Khadim Ali.
During his tour of the exhibition accompanied by ambassadors and cultural attachés, Massad emphasized the interest and keenness of Yarmouk University, according to its strategic plan, to expand its relations and partnerships with the various embassies and cultural attachés of friendly Arab and international countries in Amman. He also expressed his pride in having many international students contributing to the exhibition, which included figures, traditional costumes, pictures, paintings, artistic murals, and folklore songs and music. For their part, the ambassadors and cultural attachés who attended the opening of the exhibition acknowledged the value of the activity in terms of enhancing communication and civilizational convergence among nations, expressing their happiness to see their own citizens contributing to such activities and cultural events.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, sponsored the opening of the activities of the third scientific conference of the Faculty of Pharmacy, "Modern Trends in Pharmaceutical Research", in which a group of academics, experts, specialists, and representatives from partner sectors such as the Ministry of Health, the Royal Medical Services, the Jordanian Pharmacists Syndicate, and the Food and Drug Administration, and the King Hussein Cancer Foundation participated.
Massad said that what enables the Faculty of Pharmacy to compete with other faculties of pharmacy in Jordan as well as Arab World is the networking between researchers from various faculties and the research cooperation between members of the Faculty of Pharmacy and researchers from different faculties in the fields of health and technology inside and outside the university. He then stressed the importance of permanent cooperation between workers in the pharmaceutical field and workers in the health sector, explaining that this contributes to achieving the advancement and prosperity of health services. He also praised the distinguished scientific and research level of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University, which always keeps pace with the various scientific developments in the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmaceutical industries.
The Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Mervat Al-Sous, emphasized in her speech during the opening session that Yarmouk University has always been the incubator for everything that contributes to developing the capabilities and enhancing the skills of individuals who yearn for change and success. She then indicated that the Faculty of Pharmacy has developed its educational environment by fulfilling the requirements of the American accreditation, which was obtained last January, as evident in its modernized laboratories, the increase in the number of the teaching staff, and the increase in the number of scholarship students, and the development of the study plan in terms of content. She added that the Faculty, since its inception, has signed many agreements with pharmaceutical institutions, which contributes to providing training and work opportunities for students.
During the opening activities of the conference, the Director of the Clinical Affairs and Director of the Pharmacy Residency Program at King Hussein Cancer Center, Dr. Lama Nathir, gave a presentation on the pharmaceutical scientific research at King Hussein Cancer Center, where she reviewed the progress of the scientific research in the pharmacy department at the center, the main research activities in the department, and the future strategic goals of pharmaceutical research.
On the sidelines of the opening activities, Massad toured an exhibition of a number of pharmaceutical companies and warehouses supporting and participating in the conference, welcoming them to Yarmouk University and encouraging them to establish permanent cooperation with the University.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, said that Yarmouk University is always keen to honor distinguished students and support them, considering that they represent the wealth and future of the country, as clearly stated in the royal visions of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein. He added, during his sponsorship of the ceremony organized by the Department of Public Relations and Media at the University to honor students who won local, regional, and international awards, that the University follows the directives of His Majesty the King concerning the need to integrate the paths of education, knowledge, and science with extracurricular activities, thus empowering Youth, integrating them into programs designed to increase their awareness of various national issues and challenges, expanding the base of their participation in public life, and supporting their participation in international events. Massad then emphasized the value of such students in terms of promoting the University’s reputation and academic status, thanking the members of the academic and administrative staff supervising projects, competitions, and student initiatives.
The student Yazan Al-Shnik delivered a speech on behalf of the honorees, where he said that what Yarmouk University offers to students deserves much praise and appreciation. He explained that the University faculties support talented students and keep following up with them to overcome any obstacles and to augment and achieve goals. Al-Shnik then appreciated the efforts of the faculty members who teach and supervise distinguished students instilling in them values, morals, inspiration, ambition, and collaboration.
At the end of the ceremony, which was attended by the Vice-Presidents of the University, Professor Mowaffaq Al-Amoush and Professor Samer Samarah, the Assistant President of the University, Professor Ziyad Zureikat, and a number of deans of faculties and supervisors of honored students from among the faculty and administrative staff, Massad handed certificates and gifts of appreciation to students and supervisors.
Noteworthy is that the honorees are selected due to their outstanding results in competitions and festivals at the international, regional, and local levels in the fields of information technology, computer science, cybersecurity, media, scientific research projects, design and arts, engineering and robot design, entrepreneurship, science, medical sciences, and geography. The ceremony also honored the students who participated in student debates and the activities of youth summer 2022.
The Leadership and Innovation Center at Yarmouk University concluded the pioneering hackathon activities entitled "Using Technology in Environmentally Friendly Solutions" within the "SAXEED.ECO" project supported by the German Agency for Academic Exchange Services / DAAD. This hackathon came with the participation of more than 70 male and female students from the universities of Germany Chemnitz, Abdel Hamid bin Badis Mostaganem in Algeria, as well as the universities of Yarmouk and Science and Technology from Jordan.
The hackathon, which was held over a week at Yarmouk University, was based on two main axes. The first emphasized on training and preparing participating students on the principles of leadership and innovation, such as the principles of business model, design thinking, presentation skills and ideas, and digital transformation. It also emphasized on the role of Yarmouk University in sponsoring students and academics in the field of leadership and innovation. The second axis, the stage of competition and presentation of ideas after the completion of the training and preparation stage, included a committee consisting of 6 experts from all participating universities and the private sector. 24 teams from the various participating universities were qualified to participate, and each team was allocated 5 minutes to present ideas and 5 minutes to answer the committee's questions.
Interestingly, Yarmouk University students, Muhammad Al-Rashdan, Ammar Muhanna, and Ammar Al-Momani from the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Science, won the first place in the competition. Also, the student team consisting of Hazem Shatnawi, Nuran Al-Saqer, and Hassan Abu Sreis from Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology won the second place. As for the third place, it was for the student Zakaria Bani Doumi from the University of Science and Technology for his project in the field of hydroponics.
The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, expressed his pride in such achievements, as they reflect the academic and cognitive excellence of Yarmouk students at the local, regional, and international levels. He added that Yarmouk University attaches great importance to supporting its students in all academic disciplines and encouraging them to participate and engage in scientific events and activities.
For his part, the Director of the Leadership and Innovation Center, Dr. “Mohammed Ashraf” Al-Otoom, praised the remarkable distinction of Yarmouk students who participated in the competition, acknowledging their pioneering and innovative projects that can be transformed into tangible and innovative products to meet the needs of the society and solve contemporary challenges and problems.
To achieve its vision of motivating students, investing their energies, and enhancing their artistic talents, Yarmouk University organized, through its Faculty of Fine Arts, a student initiative entitled "Be an artist... Share us your creativity", which witnessed a wide student presence and interaction from the various faculties of the university. The activities of the initiative, which were performed in front of Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II building, included artistic sessions and a set of entertaining events and activities like the performance of musical compositions and short films, a live theatrical show, and an exhibition of student products of plastic arts, drawing, photography, and ceramics.
The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, during his tour among the activities of the initiative, praised the creative artistic spirit shown by students and the artistic works they presented. He stated that such activities add a unique and distinctive character to university life and campus, which reflects the philosophy of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
For their part, the students participating in the initiative praised its objective and value at the artistic and cultural level, stressing that it represents a unique opportunity to motivate them and unleash their artistic ideas, thus supporting the cultural and creative movement at the university as well as national level. In addition, the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dr. Ali Al-Rabiat, said that the Faculty of Fine Arts sought, through this initiative, to introduce the university students to the Faculty's majors and the nature of its courses. He then pointed out that the initiative aims at activating the role of the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts in spreading the culture of art, its value, and its human and aesthetic nature among other students.
The activities of the tenth scientific conference entitled "Sports in Light of Global Developments - Qatar 2022 World Cup as a Model” and organized by the Faculty of Physical Education were launched at Yarmouk University for two days in the conference and seminar building. The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, during his sponsorship of the conference, said that sport has become a strategy adopted by countries to define their identities and promote ideologies, beliefs, culture, customs, tradition, and values. He then pointed out that such a conference is qualitative in the field of sport, as it represents a valuable opportunity for exchanging scientific research strategies in the field of sport sciences, strengthening local, Arab, and international research and scientific relations, discussing cooperation frameworks, and encouraging youth to participate in sport research projects. Moreover, he emphasized that Qatar, during its hosting of 2022 World Cup, proved itself as a role model in overcoming obstacles and difficulties, urging participants to articulate some recommendations and conclusions that benefit the Jordanian, Arab, and international sport sector.
The Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Ratib Al-Daoud, said that Yarmouk University continues, over the course of 47 years of giving and building, to confirm its distinction as a scientific edifice that is keen on leadership and excellence in the fields of education, scientific research, and community service. He explained: We are proud of hosting experts and scholars in the field of physical education and other disciplines to address certain scientific issues that contribute to humans’ prosperity and success. Dr. Badria Al-Hadabi from Sultan Qaboos University at Oman delivered the speech of participants, where she emphasized that the convening of the conference comes at a time when we are in desperate need of continuous research on sport sciences and its various disciplines. She then acknowledged the elite participation of researchers from different countries, expressing sincere thanks to Yarmouk University for organizing such a pioneering scientific conference.
However, the conference got divided into 8 scientific sessions including 56 scientific papers presented by 120 researchers from 11 Arab countries. The participants addressed various topics and themes, namely physiology of sport training, curricula and teaching methods in physical education, management, sport marketing, choices and standards in physical education and sport facilities, psychological and social sciences in physical education, physical education for people with special needs, biomechanics in physical education, and nutrition for athletes, and women and sports. The researchers concurred that there is a deadly need to build on the achievements of Qatar World Cup for hosting international competitions in various sports, developing faculties of physical education and institutions in the Arab world, and motivating sport federations to benefit from the results of scientific research.
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.
