The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, praised the efforts of the teaching and administrative staff and students in the various faculties and departments of the University on the occasion of obtaining the American international accreditation, ABET, by ten academic programs in the faculties of Al-Hijjawi for Engineering Technology, Information Technology and Computer Science, and Science. While honoring the deans of these faculties and the heads and members of the departments that offer the programs that have obtained this accreditation, Massad stressed the importance of this achievement as it reflects positively on the reputation and position of the University locally, regionally, and internationally. He also stated that this achievement embodies the teamwork and cooperation conducted by the cadre of these departments and faculties, acknowledging their perseverance and sincerity in serving the University as well as the whole country. He then praised the efforts of the students of these departments and their positive interaction with their professors and their participation in the evaluation processes during the accreditation’s official visits.
For their part, the deans, heads of departments, and professors indicated that obtaining this accreditation for their faculties and academic departments would advance the progress and aspirations of their departments, in addition to providing distinguished competencies and outputs that are scientifically and practically qualified to compete in the labor market efficiently and competently.
It is noteworthy that the programs that have obtained this accreditation are Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Communications Engineering, Biomedical Systems Engineering, and Biomedical Informatics Engineering at Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, and Business Information Technology at the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Science, and the Statistics Program in the Faculty of Science. Also, it is noteworthy that this accreditation is considered one of the most reliable international accreditations in the fields of applied sciences, computers, engineering, and technology, and it is the most common accreditation in American universities and other countries across the world.
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply and the Minister of Labor, Youssef Al-Shamali, sponsored the opening ceremony of the international conference "New Trends in the Business Environment", which was organized by the Faculty of Business at Yarmouk University for two days in the Dead Sea region, with the participation of 90 researchers from 7 Arab and foreign countries. In his opening speech, Al-Shamali stressed that Yarmouk University is a place for scientific figures and distinguished graduates at the national, Arab, and international levels, pointing out the importance of the conference as it deals with an important topic that has become one of the most important requirements for achieving an integrated and sustainable economic renaissance represented by creating an advanced business environment that is supportive of various sectors. He also stressed the importance of linking the outputs of scientific research on modern trends in the business environment and the various aspects of economic operations, such as production, innovation, and marketing. Al-Shamali then stated that the government pays much attention to developing the business environment in the Kingdom and implementing sustainable tools to consolidate the elements of developing the business environment, which the government views as the foundation for achieving a sustainable economic renaissance, which provides new job opportunities and achieves social welfare and economic immunity.
For his part, the President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, confirmed that Yarmouk University is moving rapidly and steadily to become a comprehensive university in which the various branches of knowledge and their precise specializations are integrated in three components: a distinguished university teaching system that keeps pace with what the developed world has achieved, precise scientific research that responds to the needs of the nation, and serving the local, Arab, and humanitarian community through openness to the nation’s institutions and building partnerships with them. He added that the University is interested in progressive modernization and development to achieve high performance for its academic and administrative units and raise their productivity as evident in conducting a comprehensive review of the legislation regulating university work and having a thoughtful, systematic, and verified update according to scientific foundations of study plans at all stages. He also pointed out that the University’s keenness to hold this important scientific conference stems from its belief in the exchange of experiences, opinions, and viewpoints among researchers and scientists.
The Dean of the Faculty - Chairman of the Conference-, Dr. Michel Swaidan, said that the idea of organizing the conference is triggered by the University’s plan to benefit from the involvement of business organizations in developing institutional performance in the business sector and enhancing good governance of economic, financial, and administrative policies. He then pointed out that Yarmouk University, through its Faculty of Business, is interested in capturing any advancements in the field of business environment, as made evident in the Faculty’s endeavor to develop its study plans and curricula at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He also pointed to the new study programs developed by the Faculty at the undergraduate level, explaining that some of these programs are already approved, such as “Supply Chain Management and Logistics Sciences” while some others are on their way to approval, such as “Financial Technology (FinTech)”. He then mentioned that the Faculty launched the “E-Marketing” program last year and the “Leadership and Entrepreneurship” program three years ago.
The Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Business - Head of the Conference Preparatory Committee, Dr. Buthaina Kharabsheh, confirmed that the conference comes in the context of the Faculty’s vision towards leadership, progress, and support of the process of education, scientific research, and community service locally, regionally, and globally. She added that the importance of holding such event stems from the Faculty’s futuristic plans of moving towards more important changes in the business environment, which is characterized by rapid technological development and digitization. She then thanked the participants coming from seven countries, namely Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Palestine, Malaysia, Britain, and Nigeria, stating that the scientific papers included in the conference program covers several topics, which are accounting, finance, business administration, marketing, economics, management, public administration, and health services management.
Among its notable achievements at the scientific and academic level, and as part of its development and modernization progress at the local, regional and international levels, and in line with the vision of economic modernization of Jordan, Yarmouk University has obtained the American Academic Accreditation for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for seven of its undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Science, Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, and the Department of Statistics in the Faculty of Science. This is praiseworthy considering that ABET accreditation is one of the most reliable international accreditations in the fields of applied sciences, computer science, engineering and technology, and it is the most renowned accreditation system in the universities of the United States of America and some others around the world.
The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, said that Yarmouk is proud of such achievement, as it reflects the efforts and determination of its distinguished cadre, pointing out that the University always seeks to develop and modernize its academic programs in line with its strategic vision, mission, and main goal of providing qualitative and distinguished academic education at the local and international levels. This can be achieved, he said, through the comprehensive restructuring of the various academic plans and study programs in all departments, considering the recent developments in the fields of knowledge and education. Massad also acknowledged the efforts of the members of the academic and administrative bodies in the three Faculties, stressing the importance of working harder to obtain more prestigious international accreditations to reflect the distinguished level and good reputation of Yarmouk University locally, regionally, and globally.
The Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Science, Dr. Qasim Radaydah, explained that the Faculty has obtained the American Accreditation (ABET) for three undergraduate programs in the Faculty, namely Computer Science (CS), Computer Information Systems (CIS), and Business Information Technology (BIT). This achievement, he emphasized, means that the programs and infrastructure of both the Faculty and University are compatible with international requirements, which reflects positively on the graduates of these programs and opens the way for them to engage in the international labor market. He then extended his thanks and appreciation to the University administration for its continuous support of such projects and to the Faculty cadres for their teamwork.
The Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Atoum, stated that the Faculty obtained the American Academic Accreditation for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for three undergraduate programs, namely Communications Engineering, Biomedical Systems Engineering, and Biomedical Informatics Engineering. Likewise, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Dr. Amjad Al-Nasser, declared that obtaining the ABET by the Department of Statistics in the Faculty reflects the distinguished academic level of the Faculty of Science and the high academic level of its faculty members.
Funded by Hisham Adeeb Hijjawi Scientific Foundation, three students from Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology at Yarmouk University participated in the North African Conference for Students and Young Professionals organized by the International Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which was held this year at Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) in Cairo during the period 24- 27, August 2023.
The Faculty students who participated in this conference, Qusai Mashraqi and Yara Shalabi from the Department of Computer Engineering and Ali Jawahra from the Department of Electronics Engineering, explained that the conference aims at networking students, young professionals, and experts in the various fields of engineering and technology in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. They added that the conference aims at providing a unique opportunity for participants to network with their peers, learn from industry leaders, and participate in workshops, panel discussions, and technical sessions.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from Dartmouth University headed by Dr. Amer Al-Nimr, Director of the Global Health Program at Dartmouth University, to discuss ways of cooperation between the Faculty of Medicine at Yarmouk University and the Faculty of Medicine at Dartmouth University. At the beginning of the meeting, Massad stressed Yarmouk's keenness to build bridges of scientific and research cooperation with international universities, which provides opportunities for university students to complete their studies in various disciplines, pointing out that Yarmouk has always been keen to send students to complete their postgraduate studies in international educational institutions. He also referred to the University administration's endeavor to support its Faculty of Medicine by establishing partnerships and consolidating cooperation with distinguished medical Faculties worldwide, the most important of which is the American University of Dartmouth and its teaching hospital.
In his turn, Al-Nimr said that Jordan is considered one of the best destinations for cooperation in the medical field, given the system followed by medical faculties in Jordanian universities and their use of English language as the medium of instruction. He then stressed the possibility of cooperation with Yarmouk University in accordance with the instructions and regulations of both sides.
Thus, the attendees also discussed cooperation in the field of faculty exchange, scientific research, medical education, and academic development, considering that the meeting was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Manar Al-Lawama, the Director of the Department of External Relations and Projects, Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Atoom, and Dr. Ramiz Qudsi, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Dartmouth University.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from the Qatari Ministry of Education and Higher Education, which included the Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs in the Ministry, Dr. Khaled Abdullah Al-Ali, the Director of the Department of Higher Education Institutions Affairs, Dr. Abdullah Hamad Fetais, the Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Jordan Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Sharif, and Dr. Alaeddin Tawaha from the Qatari Cultural Attaché in Amman. During the meeting, possible means of cooperation were discussed between Yarmouk and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar. The two sides reviewed the stages of development and modernization that Yarmouk University is witnessing at all levels, acknowledging the University’s plan of keeping pace with recent developments in all fields of knowledge and qualifying human cadres with high-level skills to engage with the local and international labor market.
Massad said that Yarmouk University is witnessing a new phase of modernization and development in its academic programs emanating from the visions of economic modernization and the associated administrative and political modernization processes at the national level. He then pointed out that the University is moving steadily towards excellence and leadership and that it works within a strategic plan and clear visions to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable academic renaissance in a way that befits its history and scientific status.
For his part, Al-Ali expressed the keenness of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the State of Qatar to build bridges of cooperation with Yarmouk in various fields of knowledge. He then pointed to the possibility of granting scholarships for Qatari students wishing to study in Jordan in specializations that meet their aspirations, stressing that his Ministry is working on modernizing and developing Higher education to keep pace with the global technological developments and the unprecedented progress made by artificial intelligence in various fields of life.
The Vice President for Planning, Development, Scientific Research, and Quality Affairs at Yarmouk, Dr. Samer Samara, gave a detailed presentation about the many Faculties of Yarmouk and the academic programs offered by them at the undergraduate and graduate levels, highlighting the new academic programs offered by the University for the first time in the academic year 2023/2024, namely digital arts, and Computer Engineering Program - Internet of Things, and Supply Chain Management and Logistics Sciences, Business Law, and Systems Engineering and Biomedical Informatics. Samara also reviewed the University's international ranking and accreditation pointing to its interest in achieving further development at this part.
As a continuation of the process of integrating foreign language course packages into the study plans for undergraduate programs implemented by Yarmouk University at the beginning of the academic year 2022/2023, the University's Council of Deans decided to include such language packages in all academic programs offered recently and in some majors that have modified their names and study plans in 2022/2023. These programs are supply chain management and logistical sciences, digital arts, computer engineering - the Internet of things, history and civilization, translation and interpretation, and applied French. This decision stems from the University’s belief in the value of providing university students with the skills needed to successfully engage in the labor market.
The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, said that Yarmouk believes in the importance of communicating with the rest of the world, which demands providing students with various skills including mastering foreign languages. He then pointed out that the University, within a five-year strategic plan, is working to update the study plans for various academic programs by including foreign language packages, namely German, French, Turkish, Spanish, and Chinese, from which students can choose whatever fulfills their aspirations and future plans.
Yarmouk University is getting ready to receive new students in the academic year 2023/2024 by offering a number of new qualitative undergraduate and graduate programs, which are distinguished at the level of universities in Jordan and the whole region. These programs are offered in implementation of the University’s strategic plans to keep pace with the developments taking place in the various fields of science and knowledge.
The first of these programs at the undergraduate level is “Digital Arts” offered by the Faculty of Fine Arts, which is the first of its kind at the local and regional levels. The program is concerned with preparing students to possess innovative skills and knowledge in the field of digital audio and film production, thus qualifying them to work in various sectors of artistic production and be able to deal with the most important modern software used in digital creativity industry.
The second program at the undergraduate program is “Supply Chain Management and Logistics Sciences” offered by the Faculty of Business. The program focuses on providing students with all scientific, administrative, and applied knowledge related to the components of supply chains and logistics sciences. It is considered a qualitatively distinguished program in the region, as it seeks to create a new generation specialized in supply chain management and Logistics science that contributes to supporting Jordan's economies and providing new job opportunities by taking the initiative and creating distinctive pioneering businesses.
The third program is called “Computer Engineering Program - Internet of Things”, which is offered by Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology. This specialization is characterized by an in-depth understanding of connected devices in the Internet of Things and by integrating the necessary aspects of such understanding with basic sciences, electronics, communications, and data computing. The program’s teaching plan is unique, as it has four career qualification courses, two graduation projects over two semesters, and a field training for a period of four months in specialized companies, in addition to specialized courses in the topics of networks and wireless communications, computational computing, sensors, embedded systems, cyber security, mobile device programming, Mega Data and artificial intelligence.
As for the new programs at the graduate level, Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology offers a specialized program in systems engineering and biomedical informatics, which is based on the use of computers in the vital, health, and medical fields integrating the use of artificial intelligence in understanding diseases and their treatments as well as designing and maintaining medical devices and prosthetics to provide academic, health, and industrial institutions with qualified human resources that can develop these institutions and advance their development with the best and latest health care technologies.
The second MA program is in business law, which is offered by the Faculty of Law. This program is distinguished by the fact that it is available for everyone who holds any undergraduate degree regardless of specialization, and it is based on two main pillars: One covers the legal system of business and investment environment; the other covers the practical part, which aims at enabling students to apply the theoretical knowledge in practice to find solutions of the problems they face in the field of business within a legal framework.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, confirmed that one of the University’s most important priorities during the next five years is to increase the number of students holding scholarships for completing their doctoral degrees in prestigious international universities, especially in the United States of America. This took place during Massad’s meeting with the Executive Director of the Jordanian-American Commission for Educational Exchange (JACEE) -Fulbright Jordan, Edward Bardos, and Jed Dornberg from the US Embassy in Amman to discuss ways of cooperation leading to signing a memorandum of understanding between Yarmouk and Fulbright.
Massad continued, “the cooperation between Yarmouk and Fulbright is not recent, as there are many faculty members at the University who have received Fulbright scholarships”, stressing the importance of completing and framing this cooperation through signing a memorandum of understanding that is concerned with supporting the building of bilateral partnerships between members of the UCN. Massad also called on the American Embassy in Amman to build bridges of academic and research cooperation between Yarmouk and various American universities to enhance student exchange programs and provide scholarships for Yarmouk students to complete their postgraduate studies, exchange faculty members, and conduct joint scientific research among researchers.
In return, Bardos stressed Fulbright's keenness to find opportunities for scientific and academic cooperation between Yarmouk and various American universities in areas of common interest, which contributes to strengthening the educational and scientific development of Yarmouk University, pointing out that the "Rawabet" program aims at enhancing academic communication between the faculty members in the Jordanian and American universities. Bardos also extended an invitation to Yarmouk to partner with Fulbright in launching the "Fulbright Advisor Project”, which will provide students and employees with access to counseling and personal guidance through a YU-based Fulbright advisor.
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.