Yarmouk University chess team won the third place cup, two gold medals, and one bronze in the Chess Championship of the Federation of Jordanian Universities, which was organized by Jordan Sports Federation at Al al-Bayt University with the participation of 18 public and private universities. The university team included nine players, five males and four females, among whom outstand Siwar Abu Al-Sheih and Ismail Hammad, who won two gold medals for the first and second table respectively.
The member of the Jordanian Senate, Dr. Khaled Al-Bakkar, praised Yarmouk University’s organization of Youth Summer 2022, which is considered as a model for integrating the Jordanian youth into the reform process in its various political, economic, and administrative aspects. During the interactive workshop covering the discussion papers of His Majesty the King, “the Economic Reform and its Role in Achieving the Desired Political Reform,” organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs at Yarmouk University in the presence of the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Al Thiabat, Bakkar stated that Jordan, in its first centenary, was able to build successful models to accomplish outstanding achievements in its academic institutions, public services, health and education, pointing out that despite all the challenges, Jordan was able, under the leadership and wisdom of the Hashemites, to be part of the political map of the world and to turn challenges into opportunities. He also said that the royal directive emphasized that we will welcome our second centenary with political and economic reform accompanied by a vision for administrative reform. He then stressed that the first step in the political reform is to reform the parliament: If the parliament is reformed, then the state will be reformed. Moreover, he mentioned that the Jordanian economy suffers from some chronic distortions, such as unemployment, poverty, indebtedness, and weakness in development, and that the higher education sector suffers from several challenges, such as stagnant majors and the labor market’s failure to absorb the increasing number of graduates. Besides, Bakkar pointed out that the economic vision of the country aims at improving and developing services for citizens and achieving sustainable economic growth by strengthening growth drivers, namely foreign investment, developing domestic investment, and controlling expenditures, pointing out that the royal speech stressed the need for political parties that can demonstrate the extent of their programs to achieve such goals and address the gaps in economics.
The Vice President of Yarmouk University for Administrative Affairs, Professor Riyad Al-Momani, met a delegation from Osmania University in Turkey including the assistant dean of the Faculty of Theology, Dr. Ahmed Dogan, and the coordinator of the international program, Fonda Ozbekir, to discuss ways of enhancing the existing academic cooperation between the two universities.
During the meeting, Al-Momani stressed Yarmouk's constant keenness to strengthen cooperation with Turkish universities to provide students with the opportunity to complete their studies and faculty members with the opportunity to visit Turkish universities and enhance their experiences in various fields. In return, the members of the delegation affirmed the importance of strengthening cooperation with Yarmouk university, noting that such cooperation would push the scientific and educational process of both universities.
As part of the Summer Youth 2022 activities organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs, the president of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, welcomed Dr. Muhammad Abu Hammour, former Minister of Finance, and Dr. Muhammad al-Momani, former Minister of Media, to an interactive symposium entitled “Yarmouk Success Stories”. Massad stressed that students are in need to meet with experienced individuals such as Abu Hammour and Al-Momani to get inspired by the journey and success of such individuals as evident in the important roles played by Abu Hammour and Al-Momani during their tenure of the Ministries of Finance and Media.
Abu Hammour stated that meeting the youth causes him to feel that there are opportunities for change and development for the better, stressing that assuming positions is not an indicator of success; rather, it is to master the work that indicates success. Abu Hammour then reviewed his career since studying at the Faculty of Economics at Yarmouk University, travelling to Britain to complete his postgraduate studies, and working in several positions in Jordan.
For his part, Al-Momani stressed the need for students to engage with extracurricular activities and volunteer work because of their positive impact on building students’ personality and enabling them to conduct several responsibilities and better understanding the political life. He also reviewed his academic career at the Department of Political Science at Yarmouk University and his active participation in student clubs, student union councils, and extracurricular activities, especially political ones, which has provided him with the experience of how to talk about various political currents, how to write a statement, and how to organize election campaigns and rallies. He also called on students to take advantage of opportunities and practice the process of objective self-assessment by answering questions like, Have I done enough? Have I taken sufficient steps to reach what I want? Finally, he emphasized the significant role of the Deanship of Student Affairs in refining students' personality and developing their skills through organizing national and political seminars, interactive and sports activities, art exhibitions, and volunteer work.
In the participation of a number of university students from various faculties and specializations and as part of the activities of Youth Summer 2022, the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, sponsored the opening of the exhibition "Yarmouk Innovations", which was organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs. Massad expressed Yarmouk's pride in its talented and distinguished students who work hard to prove their worth and record their achievements through innovative pioneering projects in various scientific fields. After being briefed on the various projects, engineering, and technical works included in the exhibition, Massad praised the quality of performance and the pioneering and innovative ideas reflected in the projects included in the exhibition, which was held under the supervision of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Rami Malkawi, including 22 display stations that had a number of student graduation projects in the fields of engineering, information technology, and plastic and applied arts.
The Board of Trustees of Yarmouk University headed by Dr. Ruwaida Maaytah had held its first meeting after the issuance of the royal decree to reconstitute it in the presence of the university president, Professor Islam Massad, and other members of the board. At the beginning of the meeting, Al-Maaytah congratulated the members of the board for the issuance of the royal decree extending appreciation to the previous board and praising its great efforts and endeavors in serving Yarmouk University. She then referred to the board’s aspirations represented in strengthening the university’s progress and deepening its achievements at various academic and research levels. Al-Maaytah also stressed the support of the Board of Trustees for the presidency of the university to implement its various programs, visions, and strategic plans and to provide support and advice in drawing up the general policy of the university and its future aspirations through the exchange of ideas and viewpoints concerning the university’s goals of education, scientific research, and community service.
Jihad al-Momani, a board member of the Independent Election Commission, said that the youth involvement in the party work is protected by legislative and royal guarantees as well as the guarantee of need as Article 4 of the Political Parties Law stipulates that students in higher education institutions should not be attacked because of their party or political affiliation and activity and that the Jordanian citizen -in cases of infringement of constitutional or legal rights- has the right to resort to competent courts to file any objection or claim compensation for material and moral damage.
During the dialogue workshop organized by Yarmouk University entitled "the Role of Political Parties in Youth Development", which is held as part of a series of dialogue workshops covering the discussion papers of His Majesty the King, Al-Momani indicated that the royal guarantee is from His Majesty King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein, who emphasized in various local forums the need to encourage the youth to be part of the political system and to engage in the partisan work. He added that the law of the Jordanian Parties simulates the time stage desired by His Majesty the King, which is the stage of shifting from loyalties to sub-identity and then to a community of parties that will be able to form governments. He also called on the university students, as the center of the reform process, to be careful in choosing the national parties.
The Vice President of Yarmouk University for Administrative Affairs, Professor Riad Almomani, said that empowering the youth is not only concerned with the political work, but with science, economics, society and culture, stressing that engaging in the partisan work is an important experience for students as well as the society in general. He then explained that the university will work to take all legislative and logistical measures and formulate instructions to manage the partisan work inside the university campus. Besides, the dean of the deanship of Student Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Thiabat, emphasized that Yarmouk, through the various activities of Youth Summer 2022, aims at consolidating freedoms among university students, refining their personalities, empowering them as leaders, and encouraging them to engage in the partisan work.
During his meeting with a delegation from the American-Jordanian University Cooperation Network (UCN), the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, affirmed Yarmouk’s interest in strengthening academic and research relations with American universities in various scientific, medical, and humanitarian fields. He explained that Yarmouk is proud in its membership in the UCN, as such membership provides it with several opportunities to cooperate with American universities in the fields of scientific research, professional development, and other issues related to several societal concerns. In return, the members of the delegation stressed the importance of strengthening and expanding areas of cooperation between the members of the network so that universities benefit from the international experiences and expertise of researchers from various universities and get access to the scientific and technological developments in the various disciplines of knowledge.
Interestingly, the meeting was attended by the Vice Presidents of the University, Professor Mowaffaq al-Amoush, Professor Riyad al-Momani, the Dean of al-Hijjawi Faculty of Technological Engineering, the Director of the Department of International Relations and Projects, Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Otoum, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Dr. Khaled Al-Batayneh, the Head of the Geography Department, Dr. Khaled Al-Hazayma, and the Head of Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, Dr. Rashid Jaradat, the Director of the Center for Refugees and Displaced Persons, Dr. Reem Al-Kharouf, the Director of Public Relations and Media, Dr. Nawzat Abu Al-Asal, Dr. Samira Daroub, Dr. Gbola Adesogan, Dr. Gregory Kiker, Dr. Rafael Munoz-Carpena, and Dr. Nargizla Liuglat from the University of Florida in America, Dr. Chris Brittus from the University of Nevada in America, and Dr. Wael ElRayes from the University of Nebraska, Dr. Kaveh Khoshnood from Yale University, Dr. Christopher Mayhorn from North Carolina State University, and Dr. Mark Johnson from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
During the visit, the delegation members met with a group of researchers from Yarmouk University in two specialized workshops. The first was held at the Deans’ Council Hall in the presence of Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Otoum, Dr. Khaled Al-Bataineh, Dr. Rashid Jaradat, and Dr. Khaled Al-Hazaymeh, to discuss ways of cooperation and networking between researchers from both parties in areas like dry lands, water and climate change. The other was held at the Refugees, Displaced Persons and Forced Migration Studies Center to discuss ways of cooperation and empowering researchers in areas of asylum and forced migration.
On behalf of Yarmouk University family, academics, administrators, technicians, and students, the President of Yarmouk University, Prof. Islam Massad extended congratulations to their majesties on the engagement of HRH Crown Prince Hussein Bin Abdullah II to Ms Rajwa Khaled Bin Musaed Bin Saif Bin Abdulaziz Al Saif wishing them a lifetime of happiness.
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.
