The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with the Head of the Socio-Cultural Department at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Amman, Mr. Muhammad Hartantyo, discussing ways to enhance academic and cultural cooperation between Yarmouk and various Indonesian universities.At the beginning of the meeting, Massad stressed that Yarmouk pays much attention to its international students, pointing to the university's constant keenness to strengthen its academic relationship with Indonesian universities in various scientific, research, and cultural fields. He praised the outstanding level of the 112 Indonesian students studying in Yarmouk and their commitment to the university’s applicable regulations and instructions, stressing the university’s constant readiness to attract more Indonesian students to its various disciplines, including the Arabic language program for non-native speakers.
In turn, Hartantyo acknowledged the attention paid by Yarmouk to its Indonesian students, which reflects positively on students' academic level, praising the prestigious scientific reputation of the university and its excellence in offering several specializations, especially Sharia, Islamic studies and the Arabic language. He also discussed the possibility of holding an Indonesian cultural day at Yarmouk University in order to present the Indonesian culture, customs, and traditions to the community of Yarmouk.
The meeting was attended by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Muwaffaq Alomoush, the Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, Dr. Adam Al-Qudah, the Director of the Admission and Registration Department, Khaled Al-Hamouri, the Director of the Public Relations and Media Department, Dr. Nawzat Abu Al-Asal, and a number of officials from the Indonesian Embassy.
The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Wajih Owais, patronized the opening of the "Future of Medical Education in Jordan" workshop, which was organized by the Faculty of Medicine at Yarmouk University, in the presence of the Minister of Health, Dr. Firas al-Hawari, and the University President, Professor Islam Massad. During his opening speech, Owais stated that higher education in Jordan emphasizes several factors, i.e. education outputs, preparing graduates for the market requirements, finding resources of funding, and developing the process of distance and technical education. He also declared that the increase in the number of admissions in medical specialties is attributed to students’ high grades and the societal rush to study medicine, pointing out that it is necessary to carefully watch the outputs of medicine education as such a profession is related to people’s life. Stating that the number of students in the medical faculties inside Jordan is about 19,000, he underlined the need to work on organizing students’ admission policies in the near future to maintain a high level of graduates.
In his turn, Massad welcomed the attendees and participants of the workshop at Yarmouk University, pointing out that this workshop brings together decision-makers from the executive authority represented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Health, and the legislative authority represented by the Health and Education Committees of the parliament and the house of Senates, the Higher Education Accreditation Commission, as well as the presidents of Jordanian universities that include medical faculties. He added that this workshop is an opportunity to move forward towards national goals and visions. Massad pointed out that the future of medical education in Jordan requires much work, research, and effective dialogue to reach certain recommendations that may lead to effective decisions.
For his part, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Khaldoun al-Bashaira, confirmed that the rapid changes in the field of medical education have led to a major change in the curricula of medical faculties in the world. He then said that due to the Corona pandemic, it became clear that it is necessary to have a strong health care system, pointing out that Jordan has been one of the most successful countries in securing its citizens against the virus. He finally stressed the permanent need for a periodic, participatory review among Jordanian medical faculties, universities, and other national institutions to develop the health sector as well as medicine education.
On the sidelines of the opening, a lecture entitled "The Reality and Challenges of Medical Education in Jordan" was presented by Dr. Nidal Younes and another lecture entitled "The Future of Medical Education" was presented by Dr. Ismail Matalka. However, the inauguration was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hashemite University, Dr. Yassin Al-Hasban, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yarmouk University, Dr. Khaled Al-Omari, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Mutah University, Dr. Yousef Al-Qusous, the President of the University of Jordan, Dr. Nathir Obeidat, the President of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Dr. Khaled Al-Salem, the President of the Hashemite University, Dr. Fawaz Abd Al-Haq, the President of Mutah University Dr. Arafat Awajan, the President of the Commission for Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Quality Assurance, Dr. Dhafer Al-Sarayrah, Yarmouk Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Muwaffaq Omoush, a number of deans of the faculties at the university, and deans of the medical faculties in Jordanian universities.
The Board of Directors of Queen Rania Center for Jordanian Studies and Community Service at Yarmouk University decided to offer two training diploma programs: the first is in the field of teaching Arabic for non-native speakers in cooperation with the Languages Center at the university, and the second is in the field of applied translation in cooperation with the Faculty of Arts.
The Director of the Center, Dr. Yazan Shboul, said that launching such programs copes with the university’s policy and the center’s vision, which aim at investing the university’s scientific and practical capabilities to serve the local community and university students, developing human resources, raising the level of individual efficiency and productivity at work, and providing the public and private sectors with qualified and trained cadres.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Musa Rababaa, confirmed that the Applied Translation Diploma is designed by specialists in the translation department at the faculty and that it focuses on the several practices of translation, which provides students with the practical skills that qualify them to succeed in the labor market.
In her turn, the Director of the Languages Center, Professor Lamia Hammad, confirmed that the training diploma in teaching Arabic for non-native speakers is designed by the specialized staff of the Languages Center, noting that the diploma requires studying for nine months and that it covers the practical aspects of several topics, including Arabic linguistics, applied linguistics, teaching Arabic for non-native speakers, and the Arabic language for special purposes.
10 outstanding students of the Accounting Department at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Yarmouk University received grants for “Certified Management Accountant License” from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) in cooperation with Sarh International for Consulting and Training.
During the ceremony, which was held at the Landmark Hotel in Amman, the Business Development Officer in the Middle East, Africa and India at IMA, Mr. Rabie Ibrahim, handed over the grants to the outstanding students in the department, in the presence of the Head of the Accounting Department, Dr. Hussein Al Rabaa, Dr. Muhammad Al-Azzam, Dr. Khaldoun Al-Daoud, Dr. Muhammad Shakhatra, a number of representatives from the Jordanian Management Accountants Association (JAMA), and a group of professors from Jordanian universities.
Al-Rabbaa explained that the value of each grant amounts to $2000, as it includes exemption from CMA exams fees for the two parts and an active membership in the American Institute of Management Accountants IMA.For his part, the Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Michael Sweidan, praised the distinguished scientific level of the Accounting Department and the efforts of its faculty members, stressing the need to develop the skills and capabilities of graduates and to reflect the experience they gain on their practical and professional performance after joining the local and Arab labor market.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, confirmed that in the context of the university's keenness to enhance its scientific and academic career, 63 students are granted scholarships to complete their higher studies in a number of international universities. He explained that the university is responsible for paying those students’ university fees and health insurance, underling that 21 students are studying in British universities, 20 students in American universities, and the rest is in Australian, German, Italian, Canadian and Malaysian universities. He also mentions that the Faculty of Medicine ranks first with 25 scholarship holders followed by Al Hijjawi faculty of Engineering Technology with 12 students, the faculty of Pharmacy with 10 students, the faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences with 9 students, the faculty of Science with 3 students, the faculty of mass communication with 2 students, and finally one student for each of the faculties of Law and IT.
Discussing possible ways of academic cooperation, the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from the Irish Trinity College of Dublin represented by the Vice President for Global Engagement, Professor Emma Stokes, Dr. Zuleika Rodgers from the School of Languages, and Leo McNamee, the International Partnerships Manager. At the beginning of the meeting, Massad affirmed Yarmouk's keenness to have scientific and academic cooperation with prestigious international universities, which provides the opportunity for students to complete their studies in various disciplines and for faculty members at the university to benefit from the experiences, knowledge, and cultures of other countries. He then stressed the readiness of Yarmouk to receive Trinity College students who are willing to learn the Arabic language through the program of Arabic for Speakers of Other Languages at the University’s Languages Center.
For her part, Stokes said that Yarmouk is the best educational destination for students willing to learn the Arabic language, emphasizing that Trinity College offers a program in Middle Eastern studies that includes the Arabic Language. She also affirmed Trinity's readiness for further cooperation in various academic and research fields, calling for the exchange of scientific visits and participation in seminars and conferences between the two sides.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, received the cultural advisor at the Libyan Cultural Attaché, Dr. Ahmed Al-Dweik, to discuss possible academic and cultural cooperation between Yarmouk and the various Libyan institutions of higher education.
At the beginning of the meeting, Massad stressed that Yarmouk opens its doors for academic and research cooperation with Libyan universities and in various fields with the possibility of framing this cooperation through memoranda of understanding dealing with student and faculty staff exchange. He affirmed Yarmouk's readiness to receive Libyan students wishing to complete their studies in the various disciplines offered by the university, in accordance with the agreement signed between the Jordanian and Libyan Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
For his part, the Vice President of Yarmouk University for Academic Affairs, Dr. Muwaffaq Alomoush, welcomed any potential cooperation with the Libyan Ministry of Technical Education at the level ofseveral majors offered by Al-Hijjawi Faculty of Technology Engineering and the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Science.
In turn, Dweik praised the distinguished level of the Jordanian human resources, acknowledging the reactivation of academic cooperation between the Libyan and Jordanian Ministries of Higher Education, which focuses on preparing an educational program in the field of higher education that includes dispatching approximately 400 Libyan students to the Jordanian universities in various fields, especially in the field of medical sciences.
The meeting was attended by the Vice President for Administrative Affairs, Dr. Riad Almomani, the President of the University Alumni Club, Dr. Essam Al-Azzam, the Director of Public Relations and Media, Dr. Nawzat Abu Al-Asal, the Assistant Cultural Counselor, Saleh Muhammad, and the Director of the Services and Relations Office at the attaché, Jalal Al-Alam.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, discussed with the second counsellor at the French Embassy in Amman, Marion Eynard, and the cultural and university cooperation attaché, Annabelle Ostyn, ways to enhance cooperation in various academic and research fields. He stressed the importance of strengthening the existing cooperation with French educational and academic institutions, focusing on the importance of developing academic courses of French at Yarmouk by switching to the applied French language, which copes with the requirements of the labor market. He then pointed to the importance of developing the agreements signed between Yarmouk and French universities in terms of the exchange of faculty members, especially in the faculties of medicine, engineering, and law as well as the studies of refugees, displaced persons, and women.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Rawan Alhomaimat, head of cooperation affairs at the French Embassy, the Director of the Refugees, Displaced Persons and Forced Migration Studies Center, Dr. Reem Al-Kharouf, the Director of the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, Dr. Amna Al-Khasawneh, the Director of Public Relations and Media, Dr. Nawzat Abu Al-Asal, Dr. Batoul al-Muhaisen from the Department of Modern Languages, the representative of the university at the Francophone Agency, Dr. Mamoun Al-Shtiwi, and Dr. Tareq Al-Naser from the Refugees Center.
After the meeting, the delegation visited the centers of refugees and women, where Al-Kharouf presented the refugees center's strategic vision and the most prominent projects and themes that are developed while Al-Khasawneh gave a presentation on the women center's strategy and achievements in terms of research studies and training programs that aim at promoting the concepts of women's rights among the student and local community. She also presented a brief about the companies and memberships associated with the center.
The Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Yarmouk University has obtained the membership of World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations located in Vienna. The Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Atef Al-Shayyab, said that the faculty always seeks to network with various international institutions and associations concerned with the field of tourism and hotels, which positively reflects on the faculty’s outputs, as evident in its qualified graduates as well as distinguished programs and activities. Al-Sheyab pointed out that the associations offer the membership for more than (70) countries around the world represented by two hundred thousand employees in the field of tourism guidance. Therefore, gaining such a membership strengthens the international accreditation file for the faculty’s programs and popularize its various activities at the regional and international levels. In the same context, the coordinator of the associations’ membership, Dr. Muhammad Badarneh, stressed the importance of the membership in enriching the faculty’s programs by providing students with the opportunity to engage with the associations’ several lectures, activities, and training workshops.
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