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The Dean of Student Affairs at Yarmouk University, Dr. Mo’tasem Shatnawi, sponsored the activities of the Green Yarmouk Initiative, which was organized by the deanship through the Office of Career Guidance and Graduate Follow-up -King Abdullah II Fund for Development, in cooperation with the Faculty of Business at Yarmouk. Mentioning that the Initiative involved planting 200 trees on the University campus, Al-Shatnawi said that organizing the Initiative represents the University’s interest in directing students’ interest towards creating and implementing pioneering initiatives to serve and develop the society and enhance environmental awareness among people in a way that complies with the goals of sustainable development. He pointed out the importance of the Initiative in increasing the size of the green space on the University campus and supporting its healthy environment, remaking that the implementation of the Initiative copes with the concepts of leadership and sustainability. He then acknowledged the students’ interest and involvement in the Initiative and their keenness to participate in such an agricultural work.
Noteworthy is that the Initiative started by planting one hundred and twenty ornamental and fruit trees as part of a bigger project that aims at planting 200 trees on the University campus. Also, it is noteworthy that Marwa Abu Abbas, a lecturer from the Faculty of Business, undertook the follow-up and coordination of the initiative while supported by a large number of students of the “Entrepreneurship and Innovation” course offered by the Faculty of Business.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from the Omani University of Nizwa headed by Dr. Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Qasabi, Head of the Department of Education and Human Studies, accompanied by Dr. Rabie bin Al-Murr Al-Dhahli and Dr. Saif bin Nasser Al-Azri, who visited Yarmouk to discuss ways of joint academic cooperation between the two universities. At the beginning of the meeting, Massad acknowledged the close relationship between Jordan and Oman, stressing that such relationships open the doors of scientific and academic cooperation between Jordanian and Omani universities in various fields and pointing out that Yarmouk is linked to many academic and scientific cooperation relationships with Omani universities and faculties. He then stressed the readiness of Yarmouk University, represented by the Faculty of Educational Sciences, to cooperate with the Omani University of Nizwa in the field of developing vocational education programs and harnessing its academic expertise in this field, which will develop the educational process at the University of Nizwa and contribute to its growth and prosperity. He also called for expanding the frameworks of cooperation between the two universities to include many specializations in the future.
For his part, Al-Qasabi praised the distinguished academic reputation of Yarmouk University and the extent of the excellence of the programs offered by its Faculty of Educational Sciences, stressing the keenness of the University of Nizwa to consolidate its cooperation with Yarmouk and benefit from the expertise of the faculty members of its Faculty of Educational Sciences in the field of vocational education.
After this, the members of the delegation met with the Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, Dr. Ahmed Al-Sharifin, and the heads of the Faculty’s academic departments. During that meeting, educational experiences in the field of the teacher preparation program and special education were exchanged, and the department heads and a number of faculty members provided an introduction to the various academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate degrees, in addition to providing an introductory overview of vocational education methods and the importance of vocational education in supplying the labor market with its requirements locally and regionally. Also, opportunities for cooperation between the two universities in the fields of research and student exchange were discussed while emphasizing the impact of this on improving the educational process and its outcomes in both universities.
For his part, Al-Sharifain stressed that this visit reflects the commitment of both universities to improve the quality of education and provide better educational opportunities. It also represents an opportunity to expand the horizons of academic cooperation and consolidate understanding between the two universities, which enhances progress and development in the field of education and scientific research and the Faculty’s endeavor to attain the international accreditation for its various programs.
Yarmouk University, represented by its students of the Faculty of Fine Arts, extends messages of solidarity with the families of Palestine, who are suffering brutal aggression and assaults, through a solidarity artistic activity sponsored by the University’s president, Professor Islam Massad. The activity, which took place in Al-Kindi Amphitheater at the Faculty of Arts, is entitled “Our Palestine Compass,” and it aims at confirming the unity and national cohesion between Jordanians and Palestinians.
Massad said that Yarmouk University adopts the position of Jordan under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Highness the Crown Prince towards the various issues related to the Arab nation, including Palestine, as evident in the activity’s slogan: “Palestine is our compass, and its crown is Jerusalem.”
The Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Ali Al-Rabeat, said that the activity aims at delivering a clear message regarding Jordan’s constant support of Palestine’s just cause and its determination to harness energies to serve both Jordan and Palestine.
The event, which was attended by a large crowd of University students from various Faculties, included a group of activities and practices presented, performed, and implemented by the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts. The students of the course of Advanced Studies for Graduation Project in the Graphic Design Department, under the supervision of Dr. Ghada Al-Halasah, presented expressive posters in solidarity with Palestinian people. The posters, which deployed several artistic methods like illustrations, digital drawings, symbols, merging, processing photographs, and calligraphy and typography, expressed many ideas concerning national unity, solidarity with Gaza people, and the close historical and cultural connection between Jordan and Palestine.
The Drama Department screened a movie performed by its students, and it was entitled “Palestine is Our Compass”. The movie, which was proposed by Dr. Ali Al-Rabeat and artistically composed by Anas Irsheidat, reflects the position of Jordan and His Majesty the King towards the Palestinian issue and national cohesion. The film also presents the permanent royal technique and His Majesty’s adherence to the established Jordanian principles of supporting the Palestinian cause. The students of the Drama Department also presented a theatrical scene directed by Dr. Ali Al-Rabeat. The scene shows the close national bonds between the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples, emphasizing that no corrupt, malicious force can disrupt such a bond.
The event also included an exhibition of murals and paintings by students of the Fine Arts Department, under the supervision of Dr. Muwaffaq Al-Saqqar and Dr. Mohammad Salem. The components of the exhibition, including oil and acrylic colors, expressed Jordanian-Palestinian solidarity and brotherhood. They also incorporated some phrases that reflect the effects of destruction and blatant aggression against Gaza City.
In the same context, the students of the Music Department participated in playing the national anthem under the supervision of Dr. Raeda Olwan and the leadership of Dr. Saqr Saleh, Dr. Dima Suwaidan, and Dr. Alaa Al-Nasser, considering that the department band consists of various musical instruments: oud, qanun, flute, cello, clarinet, piano, and percussion.
The Deanship of Student Affairs at Yarmouk University organized a solidarity march in support of Gaza. The University President, Professor Islam Massad, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Education Committee, Dr. Bilal Al-Momani, the committee’s rapporteur, Mohammad Al-Okour, the committee member, Khaled Abu Hassan, and a crowd of members of the teaching and administrative bodies and University students participated in the march, which toured the various University streets while chanting slogans supporting the stance of Jordan led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, His Highness the Crown Prince, and the Jordanian people towards the Palestinian cause and the blatant aggression that the Gaza Strip is being subjected to. The participants’ chants praised the steadfastness and resistance of the people of Gaza, calling on the international community to take action to stop this brutal aggression.
The student, Jebril Al-Khatib, from the Mathematics Department, gave a speech in which he affirmed the Jordanians’ pride in the steadfastness of the people of Gaza and their resistance to the brutal Zionist occupation, stressing that we in Jordan believe in victory of the people of Gaza, calling on the countries of the world and humanitarian organizations to remove the veil from their eyes, and calling on them to do justice and provide more humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Al-Khatib also stressed the need to support the wise leadership of His Majesty the King and His Highness the faithful Crown Prince in their tireless endeavors and intense efforts to alleviate the horrors of the people of Gaza from the brutal aggression of Israel while emphasizing the Hashemite custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
In the same context, the student Moamen Ghebari from the Department of Life Sciences stressed in his speech that the students of Yarmouk University extend a sincere message of pride, honor, and support to the steadfast people of Gaza, acknowledging the continuous efforts of Yarmouk University and its Deanship of Student Affairs in organizing such activities to support the Palestinian cause and the people throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The student Baylsan Al-Bataineh from the Faculty of Medicine and the student Hazem Al-Smadi from the Faculty of Pharmacy won the Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship for high school graduates for the year 2023. The Chinese Ambassador to Amman, Chen Chuandong, said, at the grant award ceremony that the idea of launching the grant comes from the common interest of the Chinese and Jordanian sides in education and youth development, emphasizing that the grant aims at investing in the friendship of the two countries and their common benefits. The ambassador also quoted the famous Chinese educational scientist Liang Xiaochao’s statement that: “If the youth is strong, then the country is strong, and if the youth is rich, then the country is richer, and if the youth is independent, then the country is independent, and if the youth is free, then the country is free." In the same context, he pointed to His Majesty King Abdullah II’s assertion that the youth must bear responsibility and play a role in shaping Jordan’s future and that their success depends on acquiring capabilities through education.
For their part, the two students, Al-Batayneh and Al-Smadi, expressed their thanks to the Chinese embassy for the scholarship, stressing that it supports youth’s opportunities to obtain education and plays an important role in strengthening relations between the friendly peoples of Jordan and China.
Interestingly, this is the first time that the Chinese Embassy in Amman has launched this grant, which was announced on the embassy’s official digital platforms.
While attending the orientation organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs for new international students, the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, affirmed Yarmouk’s pride in hosting a distinguished group of international students in its various departments, stressing that they are all welcome and that their academic performance is appreciated by the University’s administration and staff members. He stated that international students are viewed by the University as honored guests who deserve much respect and care, highlighting the fact that their presence at the University contributes to enriching its cultural and civilizational diversity. He also explained that following up on the academic affairs of international students, giving them a distinguished university education, and enabling them to continue their studies with ease are priorities of the University.
In his turn, the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Moatasem Al-Shatnawi, said that the Deanship of Student Affairs pays most of its attention to following up on the affairs of international students upon their arrival on campus, considering that the Deanship is responsible for completing the procedures for international students’ reception and residence and enabling them to attend their university classes with ease. He then explained that the Deanship, through its International Student Welfare Office, spares no effort in providing all the services needed by international students and supporting them in implementing their student activities. The Deanship, he continued, seeks to provide international students with an attractive university environment and encourage them to engage with the University community.
After this, a number of directors of departments and centers at the University provided an explanation about the nature of the services provided by their departments and centers to serve international students and support them during their academic journey. They also mentioned that there are more than 3,300 male and female students from 45 nationalities around the world studying at Yarmouk.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from German and Arab universities including a number of researchers and experts participating in the Cultural Heritage Digitization project, which is supported by the "Taziz Program" (Enhancement Program) funded by the German Authority for Cultural Exchange (DAAD). The Project designed for a period of three years and managed by the Higher Technical University in Brandenburg, Germany, started by the beginning of 2023 with the participation of eleven universities from Germany, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Sudan, among which outstands Yarmouk University.
Massad stressed Yarmouk’s keenness to consolidate its scientific, academic, and research cooperation with international scientific and research institutions and bodies, as this reflects positively on the educational process at the University and provides students and faculty members with opportunities to acquire diverse experiences and learn about international cultures. He also stressed Yarmouk’s pride in being a partner in implementing the Digitizing Cultural Heritage Project through a number of researchers from the University’s Faculties, stressing that the Project aims at developing technologies that help in digitizing the cultural heritage across the globe.
In return, the members of the delegation praised the effective cooperation offered by Yarmouk University, which includes distinguished academic capabilities, explaining that the Project addresses technologies that contribute to digitizing the cultural heritage and creating a cooperative educational platform for the implementation of applied qualification courses, research projects, and qualification courses through non-academic partners including students and mentors. The members of the delegation also pointed out that the idea of the Project is to bring together researchers and students from Germany, Lebanon, Jordan, Sudan, and Iraq to work together in conducting research and implementing such research to digitize cultural heritage. This involves, as they confirm, answering many research questions: Are there places that have not yet been developed for tourism, and are they considered hard places to access? Can such places be experienced virtually? How can we make the target youth group access information and experiences about the places under discussion?
However, the meeting was attended by the Vice President of the University for Academic Affairs, Professor Mousa Rababah, the Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Dr. Muwafaq Al-Atoum, the Dean of the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology, Dr. Mustafa Al-Naddaf, the Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Sciences, Dr. Qasim Al-Radaida, and a number of University officials.
The Faculty of Mass Communication at Yarmouk University, like other institutes in Jordan, is observing with great pain and sadness the horrific war crimes and genocide pursued by the Zionist war machine against Palestinians in Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Based on the mission of Yarmouk University, the Faculty of Mass Communication, represented by its faculty and administrative members and students, denounces the killing of 15,000 Palestinian civilians, including more than 6,000 children and 4,000 women, as well as the ruthless destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, mosques, and churches. Also, it deplores and strongly condemns the many crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against journalists during their field work covering the brutal aggression against Gaza and the West Bank, which has caused -so far- the death of 66 journalists, including 6 female journalists.
The Israeli occupation committed its crimes against journalists for fear of transmitting the hideous picture of its crimes to the world and in an attempt to suppress the voice of truth and extinguish the eye of truth that work to expose war crimes and atrocities committed by the occupier in Gaza. Thus, what the Israeli killing machine is committing against journalists in Gaza and the West Bank is considered a clear violation and clear discord of all international conventions that guarantee the right of journalists to practice their work freely during crises and wars. In fact, the Israeli occupation has violated UN Security Council Resolution No. 1738 issued in 2006, which stipulates: “Condemn deliberate attacks against journalists, media personnel and associated individuals during armed conflicts. Equate the safety and security of journalists, media and supporting personnel in areas of armed conflict with the protection of civilians there, view journalists and independent reporters as civilians who must be respected and treated as such, and consider media facilities and equipment as civilian objects that may not be the target of any attacks or reprisals.”
Moreover, the Faculty of Mass Communication draws attention to what is stipulated in Article 79 of the Additional Protocol annexed to the 1949 Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians in Military Conflicts, which stipulates that “civilian journalists who perform their duties in areas of armed conflict must be respected and treated as civilians, and protected from every form of intentional attack, provided that they do not act inconsistent with their status as civilians.”
The Faculty of Mass Communication is shocked by the complete silence of international community organizations and international press and human rights unions regarding the massacres committed against journalists, condemning such suspicious silence, which violates the ethics and humanitarian standards and the legal measures that must be taken against the perpetrators of these brutal crimes in accordance with the Rome basic principles of the International Criminal Court. The Faculty also calls on the international community, with its journalistic and human rights institutions and organizations, to stop the hypocrisy in dealing with double standards towards the practices of the Israeli occupation against Palestinians. The Faculty calls for the necessity of holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes committed daily against innocent civilians and journalists without any consideration of human values or adherence to international laws and conventions.
Besides, the Faculty confirms that the 31 fellow journalists from the West Bank imprisoned in occupation prisons will never get forgotten. They should get released, and all international journalistic and human rights organizations should practice the required pressure on the Israeli occupation to release imprisoned journalists immediately. Thus, the Faculty of Mass Communication at Yarmouk University, as the pioneer of mass communication faculties in Jordan and the Arab region, expresses its support for journalists working in danger zones in Palestine and offers them much greeting, love, and support for their professional outstanding performance despite all risks and threats.
May God have mercy on Palestinian martyrs, civilians, and journalists, heal their afflictions, and relieve their distress soon. May God preserve Jordan's homeland, leadership and the people who are supportive and compassionate to their brothers in Palestine.
