Yarmouk University hosted the closing conference of the project "Remote and Virtual Laboratories for Teaching and Training Engineering Students in Higher Education Institutions in the Southern Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan Africa," funded by the European Union under Erasmus+. The conference was under the patronage of the EU Ambassador to Jordan, Mr. Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, and YU Vice President Dr. Ruba Al-Bataineh.
In his speech, Ambassador Chatzisavas expressed his appreciation to Yarmouk University for its initiative and referred to it as an example of excellence and leadership in modern education. He also appreciated all the project partners for their cooperation in the success of this important project, which constitutes a milestone in the path of international scholarly cooperation and the development of engineering education within the region.
He emphasized that this project is representative of the EU vision of funding tertiary education based on innovation and digitalization, helping young people and students acquire modern technical skills. He also added that such projects promote sustainable development and enrich scientific and cultural cooperation between nations.
Chatzisavas mentioned that Yarmouk University, being one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Jordan, successfully carried out this project with the assistance of 15 higher learning institutions in Morocco, Lebanon, Germany, Spain, and Tanzania. He was impressed by the level of cooperation between the partners and noted that this project is part of the most important initiatives funded by the European Union under Erasmus+, both intellectually and economically.
He also told us that the number of students and academic staff who participate in the exchange programs between Jordan and Europe per year ranges from 600 to 800 participants, pointing out that Jordan is one of the largest recipients of the program in the region.
In turn, Dr. Al-Bataineh described that the project is a motivating experience which had brought together partners from Europe, the Mediterranean, and Sub-Saharan Africa in a shared vision with a purpose of making the education in engineering more flexible, inclusive, and up-to-date through virtual labs and innovative technologies.
She attested that Yarmouk University, being the host institution of the project, boasts its top-notch achievements — setting up contemporary distant laboratories, designing home experiments, training academic staff, and improving students' learning experience — all of which prove the constructive role of cooperation and technology in promoting higher education.
Dr. Al-Bataineh emphasized preserving and exchanging these innovations among different educational institutions, thanking the European Union, all the partners, and all those who contributed to the success of the project. She also wished the participants an efficient and inspiring conference.
Dr. Mowafaq Al-Otoom, Yarmouk University project manager for the Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, reported the key achievements of the project from January 2023 to December 2025.
He referenced the fact that the project involved 15 partner institutions based in Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Tanzania, Spain, and Germany. Some of its key achievements included the implementation of five remote and seven home-based laboratories, benefiting more than 8,000 students and 400 administrative and teaching staff members through more than 100 engineering courses.
The project also involved the development of e-learning and training materials and the organization of more than 100 training workshops among staff and students, which led to enhanced academic performance and greater practical and digital skills. He expresses gratitude to the European Union, the Erasmus+ initiative, and all the partners for their unshakeable support towards the success of the project.
The two-day conference schedule covered technical and scientific sessions on universities' experience in establishing remote and home-based laboratories, challenges encountered, and key lessons learned. There were also presentations of students' and faculty members' experience.
There was also a broad panel discussion under the topic "Sustainability and the Future of Remote and Home-Based Laboratories in Engineering Education" with the presence of representatives from partner universities, industry, and the European Union.
