A delegation from Yarmouk University headed by the University President, Professor Islam Massad, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Manar Al-Lawama, and the Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Dr. Mwafaq Al-Otoum, visited the University of Dartmouth at the United States. Yarmouk Delegation met with officials and professors of the Faculty of Medicine and the University Hospital represented by the Director of the Global Health Program, Dr. Lisa Adams, the Chief of the Pediatrics Department, Dr. Keith Loud, the Chief Resident, Dr. Lucy Carter, the Vice Chair of the Education Department, Dr. Cathy Shopkin, and the Resident Program Director in the Children Department, Dr. Carol Lynn O'Dea. The delegation was briefed on the hospital's various facilities, including the simulation laboratory, and they then met with Dr. Christine Kelly, one of the resident doctors in the Pediatrics Department, who will visit the Faculty of Medicine at Yarmouk University soon.

The meetings with Dartmouth University emphasized mechanisms for activating joint cooperation between both sides with the aim of enabling students from the Faculty of Medicine at Yarmouk University to obtain training opportunities at Dartmouth University Hospital and facilitating research cooperation between the members from both universities, considering that this visit comes after the visit of a delegation from Dartmouth University to Yarmouk last year. During the meetings, Massad pointed to the aspirations of Yarmouk University to develop its academic programs to achieve the goals of its strategic plan, highlighting the University’s strengths, which constitute an attractive element for cooperation with international educational institutions.

Noteworthy here is that Dartmouth University was founded in 1769, and it is a private university within the Ivy League, which is an association that brings together the most renowned eight American universities in the north east coast of the United States of America. The university offers several academic programs in arts, sciences, medicine, and engineering, and the number of its students is about five thousand.

02 July 2024

Professor Islam Massad, the President of Yarmouk University, and Professor Essam El-Din Farhat, the President of Minya University, signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen scientific and research relations between Yarmouk and Minya University. During the meeting, Massad presented the academic journey of Yarmouk over 47 years and the many stages of development and modernization since its establishment until it has become one of the most prestigious universities at the national, Arab, and regional levels. He then mentioned that Yarmouk has 16 faculties and two deanships, one concerned with students and their affairs and the other for scientific research and postgraduate studies, highlighting that Yarmouk offers 72 programs at the undergraduate level, 70 programs at the graduate level, and 16 doctoral programs. Moreover, Massad indicated that Yarmouk University is keen to strengthen cooperation with various academic institutions around the world and invest in the exchange of experiences and knowledge.

On the other side, Farhat stressed the importance of this visit to Yarmouk University, as it is one of the Jordanian and Arab universities known for its academic and research heritage, praising its pioneering role in serving the Jordanian higher education sector and the whole community. He then mentioned that Minya University was founded in the same year in which Yarmouk University was founded in 1976, noting that the university campus is located north of the city of Minya including 20 faculties in addition to the Higher Nursing Institute.

Thus, the memorandum of understanding stipulates the exchange of faculty members for the purpose of giving lectures or participating in conferences, seminars and scientific discussions, in addition to the exchange of graduate students to attend scientific seminars and training courses while collecting the data related to their research and university dissertations.  Also, the memorandum stipulates the exchange of bulletins, periodicals, scientific journals, books, and summaries of master’s and doctoral theses between both universities.

02 July 2024

The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, as part of the official Jordanian delegation that visited Lebanon, met with the Prime Minister of the Lebanese caretaker government, Najib Mikati, at the Government Palace in Beirut. On this visit, the Jordanian delegation included the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Krishan, the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Professor Azmi Mahafza, the President of the University of Jordan, Professor Nathir Obaidat, the President of Mu'tah University, Professor Salama Naimat, the President of the Jordanian German University, Professor Alaa Al-Halhouli, and the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad.

On the sidelines of the visit, the President of the University, Professor Islam Massad, and the President of Beirut Arab University, Dr. Wael Abdel Salam, signed a memorandum of understanding that included scientific and research fields, in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration, Tawfiq Krishan, and the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research, Dr. Azmi Mahafza.

 During the meeting, Massad talked about the establishment of Yarmouk University, its history, Faculties, administrative units, and scientific centers, in addition to its future vision based on expanding the development of quality academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He added that Yarmouk University, in the context of its strategic plan that was implemented in all of its scientific, humanitarian, and health faculties, views raising the level of applied skills among its graduates as an academic priority, as evident in its comprehensive amendment of all study plans and programs. He then pointed out that Beirut Arab University represents part of the academic memory of the Jordanian society, as it has been a destination for hundreds of Jordanian students during the past decades.

 For his part, Abdel Salam appreciated the visit from Yarmouk University to Beirut Arab University, which reflects the depth of academic relations between two of the most prestigious Arab universities. He added that signing the memorandum between the two universities comes as a culmination of the previous visit to Yarmouk University last February, stressing that Yarmouk University represents a distinguished Arab academic and research value due to the nobility and scientific history it represents and its embodiment of the cultural and cognitive values of the Jordanian society.

 The signed memorandum of understanding stipulates cooperation in the field of scientific research, education and culture, the exchange of members of the teaching and administrative staff and students, the organization of scientific conferences and seminars on topics of common interest, and cooperation in individual or joint research programs.

02 July 2024

The Vice President of Yarmouk University for Academic Affairs, Professor Mousa Rababah, met with David Van Beveren, professor of Arabic language in the Department of translation at the Belgian University of Saint-Louis, to discuss ways of cooperation in the field of the Arabic language program for non-native speakers. At the beginning of the meeting, Rababah reviewed the emergence of the Arabic language program for non-native speakers at Yarmouk’s Language Centre, noting the program’s importance in teaching the Arabic language and attracting foreign students from various countries of the world. He then stressed the value of strengthening cooperation among international academic institutions interested in learning and teaching the Arabic language, highlighting the fact that Yarmouk’s Language Center offers online and distance learning courses to enable students from all over the world to join the program.

In her turn, the Director of the Language Center, Dr. Rana Kandil, welcomed the cooperation with Saint Louis University, pointing out the role of the Language Center in spreading the Arabic language and the Jordanian culture around the world.

For his part, Beveren praised the academic reputation of Yarmouk University and its excellence in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers, mentioning that he participated in the Arabic language program through the “Erasmus Plus” faculty exchange program, where he delivered some Arabic language lectures and attended some others with the Language Center’s professors.

02 July 2024

Student Alaa Melhem, who is sponsored by Yarmouk University to study a Master’s degree in English at Bridgewater University, won the Distinguished Graduate Thesis Award for the year 2024 for her thesis titled “Addressing the Writing Challenges Facing Students in the English Department at Yarmouk University: Strategies for Support and Improvement”. Melhem stated that this award is prestigious and very competitive and is given by a committee of exert judges to only one graduate student from all departments at Bridgewater University. She then expressed her great gratitude to Yarmouk University represented by the university’s president, Professor Islam Massad, for giving her the opportunity to study at Bridgewater University. Melhem also appreciated the efforts of the English Department at Yarmouk and its faculty members and students to help her conduct the surveys required to implement the thesis project in the English Language Department.

02 July 2024

The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, visited the headquarters of the International Council for Research and Exchange - IREX in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of his participation in the EduData Summit titled “Artificial Intelligence and Digitally Enhanced Education”, which was organized by Quacquarelli Simonds QS, the education company that publishes the World University Rankings. During his meeting with the Director of the Early Education Program (ASAS) at the Council, Dr. Cameron Mirza, Massad presented the University’s vision and plan to develop, present, sustain and market ASAS in the University’s Faculty of Educational Sciences, praising the efforts made by IREX to partner with Yarmouk University.

He then stressed that Yarmouk University, through its Faculty of Educational Sciences, prioritizes the educational aspect and related matters of preparing and building a qualified teacher capable of entering the classroom and teaching creatively. Moreover, Massad pointed out the interest of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University to develop and update the study plan for the Classroom Teacher program within the ASAS project in accordance with the international standards approved for this program.

In the same context, Mirza praised the strategic partnership with Yarmouk University, expressing his happiness at continuing the fruitful partnership between IREX and Yarmouk University - Faculty of Educational Sciences through this project. He then praised the great value of the Higher Diploma Program for Preparing Pre-service Teachers in which Yarmouk is a main partner university.

It is noteworthy that ASAS is a project that aims at developing the classroom teacher program at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at Yarmouk University by enhancing the University’s institutional performance, developing curricula and teaching-learning materials, enhancing practical training, and supporting infrastructure.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Moatasem Abdel Jaber, a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, and the Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Dr. Mwafaq Al-Otoum.

27 June 2024

The Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, Professor Ahmed Al-Shraifin, received a team from the ASAS project including members from both International Research and Exchange Council (IREX) and Queen Rania Academy. At the beginning of the meeting, Al-Shraifin welcomed the guests, indicating the Faculty’s readiness to take the next steps required by the project to implement the royal visions in education and international accreditation while highlighting the experiences of faculty members from various departments in working on accrediting teacher preparation programs. He then stressed the importance of consolidating partnerships with public and private education institutions and schools and the accompanying work on the recruitment mechanism and the advancement of candidates’ level from the time of joining the diploma until graduation. He also explained the importance of measuring the impact of the program among the partners, employers, and graduates who have obtained jobs, as this leads to obtaining corrective measures that can improve the level of work in the program.

02 July 2024

The President of Yarmouk University, Professor Islam Massad, met with a delegation of participants in the Project “Exploration and Protection - Working for the Future of Our Past”, where Yarmouk’s Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology collaborates with the University of Jordan and the Egyptian University of Minya supported by the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD within the program “Enhancement 2023-2025”. The delegation included the President of Minya University, Professor Essam El-Din Farhat, Dr. Hussein Ibrahim from the University of Minya, the head of the project from the German side, Dr. Regina Schulz from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, and Dr. Sven Kilau from the University of Hildesheim.

During the meeting, Massad confirmed that the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology is a center of strength and scientific excellence at Yarmouk University, noting that the Faculty has always demonstrated excellent uniqueness in teaching, administration, and implementing solid scientific field research. He also pointed out the Faculty’s active participation in distinguished scientific and research projects at the international level, which enabled it to achieve remarkable progress in prestigious international academic classifications, stating that Yarmouk is one of the best 201-240 universities around the world in the field of archeology, according to the QS World Classification for the year 2024 and is in the second rank among Arab universities.

In the same context, the members of the delegation praised the distinguished level of researchers and students of the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University, who demonstrated their competence and ability to engage in research work, which enabled those in charge of the project to achieve its goals of developing skills related to the work of restorers and archaeologists in the field of restoration. For his part, the head of the Department of Heritage Resources Conservation and Management at the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology, the project manager in Jordan, Dr. Wassef Al-Sakhaina, explained that the project includes four 14-day training courses. Moreover, the Dean of the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University, Dr. Mustafa Al-Naddaf, indicated the participation of a group of professors and students in the second training course in Egypt. He also added that the Faculty participated in the first workshop held in October of last year at the University of Hildesheim/Germany with the participation of the University of Jordan, the German universities participating in the project, Minya University, the University of Khartoum in Sudan, and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

02 July 2024

A delegation from Yarmouk University including the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Manar Al-Lawama, and the Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, Dr. Mwafaq Al-Otoum, visited the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to discuss mechanisms for activating the student exchange agreement signed between the two universities. The delegation met with the team responsible for this agreement at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in addition to the academic and administrative staff of its Faculty of Medicine, which included the Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Dr. Debra Lehman, the Deputy Dean for the Global Health Program, Dr. Katie Duffel, and the Director of the Educational Program for the Internal Medicine Specialty. Dr. Lisa Skenes, the Educational Program Director of the Pediatrics Program, Dr. Alan Shin, and the Faculty Elective Training Coordinator, Alia Bakr.

During the meetings, the performance of Yarmouk University students who joined the student exchange program at the beginning of this year was discussed and reviewed, and it was agreed to increase the number of students accepted into the program in the future, in addition to discussing ways to enhance the opportunities of Yarmouk Medicine students to enroll in specialty programs at the American university. Thus, the meetings led to holding training workshops led by UCLA staff via remote video communication technology to increase the chances of Yarmouk Medicine students enrolling in specialty programs at American universities.

In the same context, the delegation met with the coordinator and members of the Arab Health Society at the University of California Los Angeles, Rana Al-Rasheed, to discuss the possibility of receiving students from Yarmouk Faculty of Medicine and facilitating their participation in the student exchange program at the University of California, Los Angeles. After this, the delegation toured the departments of the University’s Ronald Reagan Hospital with the aim of observing students’ training places.

27 June 2024