In the presence of the Indonesian Ambassador to Amman, Dr. Adi Padmo Sarwano, the Nigerian Ambassador to Amman, Omar Kamphalt, the Consul at the Thai Embassy in Amman, Girat Furado, the Moroccan Cultural Adviser, Muhammad Barawi, the Bahraini Cultural Adviser, Dr. Nada Al Harban, the Saudi Cultural Attaché, Dr. Issa Al-Rumaih, the Yemeni Cultural Attaché, Dr. Qibla Al-Saeed, and the Director of the Malaysian Attaché, Radwan Abdul Rashid, the Arab and International Communities exhibition organized by Yarmouk University started in front of the university presidency building with a march of flags of the countries whose students are participating in the event.
The President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, inaugurated the exhibition, which reflects the university’s interest in organizing international activities and events, and its cultural and civilizational diversity, considering that the university includes 3,643 international students representing 47 countries around the world. As explained by the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Thiabat, the exhibition reflects a distinctive cultural painting, where 16 communities of international students studying at the university are participating in the exhibition by presenting their own local shows, foods, artistic and heritage paintings. Thiabat called on the university students from various faculties to get involved in the several extracurricular activities organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs to represent their countries and cultivate their personalities.
To discuss possible ways of cooperation in various fields, the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation from the Malaysian University of Kuala Lumpur (UNIKL), which included the Director of the Industrial Linkages Center, Dr. Zulhafiz Tajudin, and the Director of the Marketing, student recruitment and admission division, Dr. Eida Roslin. Massad stressed that Yarmouk University is always ready to cooperate with prestigious international universities, especially the University of Kuala Lumpur, as attracting international students is one of the most main priorities of the university. He praised the excellent academic level of Malaysian students expressing the readiness of the university to receive more Malaysian students wishing to complete their studies at the university, especially in the disciplines of Sharia, Islamic studies and Arabic language.
In return, Tajudin reviewed the development of the University of Kuala Lumpur in 2002, emphasizing that the university's 14 branches offer diploma, bachelor, and postgraduate programs. He then stated that the university works to develop technical education in Malaysia with the support of the Malaysian government, thus contributing to training researchers and supporting their studies in the field of development for the purposes of commerce and industry. Finally, the members of the delegation praised the distinguished academic reputation of Yarmouk University at the international level, calling for establishing bridges of cooperation in the field of technical education and the exchange of scientific visits for students and faculty members.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with undergraduate student team of the pioneering project, “Using virtual reality to develop a computerized educational curriculum for pre-school children of special needs”, which was initially chosen to represent Jordan in the Arab Rally Competition for Entrepreneurship and Innovation 2021, which was held in Dubai 27-31 March 2022 on the sidelines of World Expo 2020.
At the beginning of the meeting, Massad congratulated the university team consisting of Sohaib Al-Abed and Maysam Al-Akash (students), Dr. Rami Malkawi (the project supervisor), and Dr. Ahmed Seifan (the project co-supervisor) from the Faculty of Information Technology and Computer Science. Massad affirmed the university administration's permanent support for the creativity and innovations of distinguished students, as this reflects the faculty members' interest in supporting their students and providing them with various experiences and skills to develop their abilities in their field of specialization.
In return, the main supervisor of the project, Dr. Rami al-Malkawi, stated that the student Suhaib Al-Abed represented the project team in this competition as he had obtained a full residency from the organizers of the competition for a week, noting that the Jordanian Minister of Investment, Eng. Khairi Amro, had visited Jordan's pavilion in this competition and expressed his admiration of the project.
Suhaib Al-Abed explained that the project, which is under construction, aims at preparing a computerized curriculum for children with special needs as well as for those who suffer from learning difficulties. He also said that the project is going to be available in both Arabic and English deploying several effective and innovative techniques to achieve its purpose.
Yarmouk Faculty of Education organized a conference entitled “Education and Sustainability Development: Entrepreneurship and Innovation” under the sponsorship of the University president, Professor Islam Massad. At the beginning of the conference, which lasted for two days, Massad welcomed the audience to the event explaining that such a serious gathering aims at integrating university education and scientific developments to enhance students’ aspiration and achieve sustainability. Massad stated that the conference focuses on important issues related to education, sustainability, and innovation concerning the skills and psychological health required for promoting education, among many other issues. He further focused on the importance of education as a tool for development referring to COVID-19 crisis that affected education worldwide. He also called for integrating both education and sustainability and for providing an interactive environment, which requires a shift from education to learning. Finally, Massad thanked all participants and organizers of the conference calling for a positive participation and applicable recommendations.
The dean of the Faculty of Education, Dr. Nawwaf Shatnawi, welcomed the audience to the conference which aims at discussing how to develop education and achieve sustainable development. He called for transforming the challenges into opportunities of innovation, referring to the fact that students no longer need certificates alone, but skills, entrepreneurship, and leadership. He finally thanked the presidency for supporting the event and acknowledged the efforts of the staff of the Faculty of Education as well as other local and global agencies to organize such event.
Dr. Asma Husein from Princess Nora University at Saudi Arabia presented a speech on behalf of the participants, thanking Yarmouk University and the Faculty of Education for their support of the conference and interest in such issues. However, the opening session of the conference included the president’s honoring of retired members of the faculty staff as well as local and global agencies who supported the faculty of education and the university.
During his opening of the symposium organized by the Faculty of Mass Communication in celebration of the World Press Freedom Day, the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, announced that the university presidency has submitted a proposal to the university’s board of trustees to start the procedures for allocating a scholarship in the name of Shireen Abu Akleh, in an attempt to perpetuate her memory, sincerity, and dedication to her work, extending the university’s condolences to the martyr's family, the Palestinian people, and the entire media and journalism family. Massad then said that the World Press Day is to emphasize the need to respect freedom of press and its ethics and to provide a free and safe media environment for journalists, which enables them to practice their work professionally and in compliance with the values and standards of journalism. He also stressed the need to provide a legislative system that guarantees the freedom of press and publication.
In his turn, the Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication, Dr. Tahseen Mansour, said that celebrating the World Press Freedom Day in the third of May is to consolidate the outcomes, hard work, and perseverance of journalists around the world. Mansour then stressed that Yarmouk Faculty of Media is striving for development through establishing short and long-term partnerships with various institutions and bodies, which contributes to developing and advancing the Faculty’s progress and prosperity.
The head of the journalism Department, Dr. Esmat Haddad, said that the Palestinian Arab martyr, Shireen Abu Akleh, departed with her heart beating for her family and the people of Palestine and that she decided, after more than a quarter of a century of media work, to document the end of her journalistic journey with her blood and sacrifice herself for the sake of Palestine. He also explained that freedom has always been the goal of mankind and that there is no creativity without freedom, stressing that freedom increases in value and rises in status when combined with the press.
the General Director of Jordan News Agency – Petra, Mr. Fayek Hijazin representing the Minister of State for Information Affairs said that the martyrdom of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh opens the way for more research in the field of press freedom, pointing out that Israel did not assassinate the martyr, but assassinated the whole truth that Israel always tries to conceal, stressing that many countries around the world use the media to blurring and distorting facts. He indicated that today's media in Jordan and the Arab World faces many financial and content-based problems, which requires reformulating the media policy and working to establish the necessary measures to control what is published on social media platforms.
For his part, the head of the Parliamentary National Orientation, Media, and Culture Committee, Mr. Yasar Khasawneh called on the students of the Faculty to make use of the many resources and experiences offered by the Faculty staff to get what it takes to be a weapon against injustice, emphasizing that the martyrdom of Shireen Abu Akleh reflects the nobility of her career.
The President of the Jordanian Journalists Syndicate, Mr. Rakan Al-Saaida, said that the celebration of the World Press Freedom Day for this year is mixed with sadness and anger over the martyrdom of Shireen Abu Akleh, pointing out that the World Press Freedom Day acknowledges three main foundations: free press, independent press, and pluralistic journalism. He also said that the World Press Freedom Forum is to remind governments of the importance of protecting journalists and the right of expression and providing appropriate environments for their work.
The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, confirmed that the university, through the Deanship of Student Affairs and relevant administrative departments, began preparing and developing plans to reorganize the “graduation ceremony” for the current academic year, after ceasing for about two years because of the repercussions of the Corona pandemic. He added, during his meeting with a group of students of the Faculty of Arts, that the most prominent challenge for the University is to raise the status of its students in various fields of knowledge and fields, emphasizing that the ideal outputs of the university are represented by graduates equipped with necessary knowledge and skills that enable graduates to compete in the labor market efficiently and effectively.
Massad then pointed out that the university, through its relevant councils and departments, has begun to reconsider its legislation and regulations related to the various aspects of the university life to keep pace with several developments. He further stated that the university has begun to reconsider its study plans for all disciplines at the postgraduate level, considering the need to focus on the various life skills needed by students to contribute to their community successfully. Moreover, Massad declared that Yarmouk University has allocated a considerable portion of its budget for this year to rehabilitate its campus and its various facilities, especially concerning the needs of its students with disabilities.
Finally, the president listened to students’ remarks about the various conditions and concerns of their Faculty, especially the departments' infrastructure, laboratories, and facilities. However, the meeting was attended by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor Mowaffaq al-Omoush, the Vice President for Administrative Affairs, Professor Riyad al-Momani, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Musa al-Rababah, the Dean of Student Affairs, Professor Muhammad Thiabat, the Director of Public Relations and Media, Dr. Nawzat Abu Al-Asal, and several faculty and administrative staff members.
The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chairman of the National Committee for Human Resources Development, Dr. Wajih Owais, patronized the opening of the activities of the second international week organized by the Department of International Relations and Projects at Yarmouk University over three days in the conference and seminar building. In his opening speech, in the presence of University President, Owais pointed out that His Majesty King Abdullah II always stresses the importance of developing human resources and building a Jordanian citizen capable of playing several roles in the development of the society. He added that the public education sector is one of the three main components of the national strategy, which recommends the formation of a commission to develop curricula to include a group of specialists and experts. Finally, Owais called on developing the quality of school and university education, amend university admission policies, organize university admission exceptions, and provide financial support to universities.
In his turn, the president of the University, Professor Islam Massad, welcomed the guests and audience of the second international week which represents a platform for partnerships and networking between several institutions, thus providing an opportunity of collaboration, dialogue, and exchange of experiences. He emphasized the development of Yarmouk university and its programs, stating that the university’s strategic and action plans are derived from the Royal Visions of His Majesty King Abdullah II and His interest in enhancing the quality of education and providing opportunities for community service and extra-curricular activities. He then mentioned that the university has already established a scientific center for Sustainability Development as a unit to coordinate any activities that target developing solutions for global problems such as climate change.
In the same context, the former Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Muthanna Gharaibeh, stressed our need to develop the infrastructure of institutions, develop the capabilities of the faculty and administrative staff in educational institutes, and keep pace with modern technological developments. He also pointed out that the role of educational institutions in integrating the industrial and academic sectors with technological developments, which requires qualified employees with advanced skills. For her turn, Sherry said that the U.S. government supports numerous exchanges with Jordan, stating: “I’m pleased to say that thousands of Jordanians have participated in U.S. government-funded educational, professional, and cultural exchange programs such as the Fulbright Program, the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program, and the International Visitors Leadership Program”. She also said that the USAID is working alongside the Ministry of Education to enhance the quality of education in Jordan at universities as well as primary and secondary schools. Sherry added: “We’re currently working with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Yarmouk, Jordan, Mu’tah, and Hashemite Universities to establish pre-service teacher education, PRESTIJ, as a means to improve the quality of teaching and learning for the grades 4-10”.
In response, al-Otoom welcomed the audience to the conference stating that the international week celebrates the inspirations for a better future for leaders, experts, researchers, scientists, and other stakeholders worldwide. He then mentioned that the week’s activities include a set of themes, such as the impact of the National Human Resources Development Strategy 2016-2025 in Jordan, the pursuit of sustainable green universities, equity and inclusion in higher education, and digital transformation in higher education: trends and best practices.
Noteworthy here is that the opening activities of the event were attended by the Emirati Ambassador in Amman, Ahmed Ali Al Balushi, the head of the Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Commission, Dr. Dhafer Al-Sarayrah, the president of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Dr. Khaled Al-Salem, the director of Erasmus Plus National Office, Dr. Ahmed Abu Al-Haijaa, and a number of directors of the offices of international organizations and academic bodies in Amman, the two vice presidents, Professor Muwaffaq Al-Omoush and Professor Riyad Al-Momani, the deans of the faculties, the directors of administrative departments and scientific centers, and a number of university students from different faculties.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor Mowaffaq al-Omoush, patronized the activities of the Wooden Bridges competition organized by the student branch of the American Concrete Institute at al-Hijjawi Faculty of Engineering Technology. In his opening speech, al-Omoush praised the achievements of al-Hijjawi Faculty of Engineering Technology and the importance of student activities it organizes, praising the efforts of the student branch organizing the competition, its enthusiasm and constant keenness to raise the level of the department students. He also expressed his pride in all students participating in the competition, pointing to the importance of participating and organizing such competitions that develop students' knowledge and transform their theoretical background into practical experiences.
In his turn, the academic supervisor of the student branch at al-Hijjawi Faculty, Dr. Faris Matalqa, promised to continue holding such events and competitions, emphasizing that this is not the first competition organized by the student branch, but a part of a sequence of activities held at the local and regional levels. He added that this student branch usually participates in many international competitions, such as the Concrete Solutions Competition, in which Yarmouk team ranked among the finalists—among the top twenty competing teams from various international universities.
At the end of the event, which was attended by the University President’s Adviser for Quality Affairs - Director of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Center, Dr. Abdullah Khataiba, the Dean of the Faculty of al-Hijjawi, Dr. Muffaq Otoom, a number of the teaching and administrative staff, and several students, Otoom honored student winners of the competition, thus granting two prizes: the first for the most weight-bearing bridge, and the second for the most beautiful geometric shape.
Noteworthy here is that the competition included the design and construction of wooden bridges by 15 student teams from the Civil Engineering Department and that students' projects were evaluated by a committee of professors from the department, namely Dr. Hashem Matarneh, Dr. Yasser Jaradat, Dr. Yousra Obeidat and Dr. Mona Al-Ibrahim.
In the presence of the Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Khaled Al-Omari, the University President Professor Islam Massad, and the General Director of Jordan Tourism Board, Dr. Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat, the General Director of the Department of Antiquities, Dr. Fadi Al-Balaw, representing the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities patronized the opening of the activities of the seventh international conference of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Yarmouk University entitled “Tourism and Hospitality in a Changing World”. The conference, which was attended by researchers from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, India, Germany, Britain, Malaysia, Spain, Italy, Romania, and Jordan, included working sessions where several papers were presented and discussed by researchers.
In his speech, Al-Balawi stressed the importance of the conference, as it sheds light on one of the most important economic resources of Jordan, namely the tourism sector. He explained that this sector constitutes a great source of employment and economic growth for Jordan has more than 15,000 important archaeological sites. However, pointing out the hardships of the sector during the past two years, Al-Balawi reviewed the main elements contained in 2020 policy brief of the United Nations concerning manipulating, preserving, and restoring the tourism sector all over the world. He then concluded that the future of tourism in Jordan seems to be much better than now, considering that the statistics of today are greater than what is listed in the strategy of 2001.
In his turn, Massad welcomed the conference participants at Yarmouk University, emphasizing the uniqueness of the university in terms of authenticity and heritage, as it derives its name and legacy from the historical Battle of Yarmouk. He then celebrated the geographical uniqueness of Jordan and its cultural and civilizational roots, stressing that tourism and hospitality are two main pillars of economic and social development in both industrialized and developing countries. He continued: “The Faculty of Tourism and Hotels is always distinguished for its great contribution to creating the concept of professional change by qualifying and developing cadres required for tourism and hotels away from traditional education".
For his part, Arabiyat affirmed that Jordan's economic future depends on tourism, as the country is rich in tourist and archaeological sites. He stressed the need for developing the management of the tourism sector, maintaining and protecting archaeological and tourist sites, and providing tourists with services that meet their expectations. Thus, he called on students of the faculty to work on creating innovative plans to find beneficial solutions for the problems of the tourism sector. He also stressed the need to create new tourist experiences based on the interaction of tourists with the local community.
The Dean of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, the conference’s president, Dr. Atef Al-Shayyab, pointed out that Jordan is rich in its tourism resources and is characterized by its strategic location, describing the country's tourist sites as “Jordan’s oil”. He suggested, if tourist sites are rehabilitated, preserved, maintained, restored, and managed in an attractive scientific manner, then that will increase the gross national income, and revenues of the tourism sector will increase, which will help in solving Jordan's financial problem. Then he added: “we are meeting in this conference to discuss the latest developments in the tourism and hospitality sector considering the changes witnessed in recent years at the local, regional, and international levels, and to review the future trends of such sector, including dealing with crises and the use of modern technology.
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.