Inside View IV.3.3 Danielle Feinstein University initiatives in the Arab world: spotlight on Jordan

The atmosphere of the Arab Spring has ampli- in Jordan were already conscious of a need engagement stated that they would be more fied the importance of youth enfranchise- to tackle this issue prior to the Arab Spring. motivated to join if they were more aware of ment and engagement in all parts of the Arab However, the energy of the past two years has programmes running in their governorates. World, including the Hashemite Kingdom increased the focus on youth, especially at the The test now will be to meet the needs of of Jordan. The events that took place in the university level. During his speech for the 50th Jordanian youth and provide leadership skills region in 2011 contributed substantially to anniversary of the founding of the University for young people in every corner of Jordan to the public’s realization that youth need to be of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II (2012) activate their potential. encouraged and empowered. At the same declared: Nonetheless, Jordan thrives with time, social media opened the eyes of youth hundreds of new initiatives. Students are It is my unshakable conviction that the youth in Jordan to their peers’ efforts throughout the bridging the gap in awareness through social http://www.guninetwork.org/. are the engine that drives the development region. Soon Jordan was bubbling over with media, taking advantage of Facebook, Twit- process; they are the vehicle and the purpose new initiatives harnessing some of this energy ter and other social media tools to spread of development. Therefore, we should for positive changes in Jordan. Jordanian youth their campaigns and messages, as well as website continue investing in the youth through feel that the sky is the limit in the demands to organize public events. Listed below is a

education and training to equip them with their they have for their country and futures. This selection of initiatives by university students skills and expertise that will nurture their on

dynamism is palpable in a country where 77% and administrators that reflect the diverse [email protected]. creativity and enable them to excel. of youth believe that the best days are ahead interests of Jordanian youth. The ingenuity of them (ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, 2013). This past spring, University of Jordan Presi- and vision displayed by these initiatives are

One of the cradles of this energy in youth dent Ekhleif Tarawneh also called on student not only inspiring but also infectious, which contact life is the university. Years spent in university bodies to launch initiatives and organize activ- bodes well for the future of Jordanian civic Innovation

serve as a formative period for every Jorda- ities and events aimed at serving the university engagement and for the Kingdom. for please nian, and the university itself acts as an essen- and local communities (University of Jordan, tial part of community life in Jordan. Jordan 2013). Initiatives focused on harnessing youth Limit Children in Labour Initiative

is renowned in the Arab World for its educa- energy to lessen the unemployment rate, build Description Network tional standards and its efforts to develop its entrepreneurial and leadership skills, and This student initiative from Hashemite Univer- human resources for a knowledge economy. encourage greater youth participation have sity, Zarqa, was formed to tackle the issue of permission, Today, Jordan ranks number one in the Arab been prominent among government recom- child labour in Jordan. It aims to apply pressure World in education, having made great strides mendations. Their importance can also be on decision-makers and officials through an University request and significant reforms since the mid-1990s seen in various Royal Initiatives and projects online campaign to ensure children’s rights in to

(Al-Shalabi, 2012). Jordan has 10 public initiated by The Higher Council for Youth, We Jordan and advocate for the application of the Global

universities, 17 private universities and more Are All Jordan Youth Commission and univer- Jordanian labour law to those businesses utiliz- wish than 60 community colleges (EHEA, 2013). sities, as well as in foreign donor projects ing child labour in Jordan. The students also The you by

The education system has undergone rapid funded by the United Nations, European produced a video campaign and published it If expansion over the past few decades, and the Union and USAid (personal interview, Amman, on their Facebook page. The campaign aims to only gross enrolment rate for the 18–25-year-old Jordan, June 20, 2013). reach the Jordanian parliament with this initia- population has steadily increased since 2001. Perhaps the intensified focus on youth tive and has already forged a deal with a female use

These achievements reflect a government that initiatives and enfranchisement is due to member of parliament to adopt the initiative for

has supported a strong education policy and the fact that the overall engagement among and propose it as an item at an upcoming infringement. developed its human capital, which it regards Jordanian students is still considered to be parliament session. The students also conduct as the principal source of its wealth. These low. However, the rate of increasing initia- numerous field activities, including a mural-

are significant achievements for a country tives and openness to youth engagement are painting event in a public garden in Zarqa. authorised is copyright

that has experienced such rapid population promising signs for Jordan’s future. One of Link: https://www.facebook.com/LIMIT. a

growth (the Jordanian population having the challenges is the scarcity of opportunities CHILDREN.IN.LABOR. is doubled since early 1990) and absorbed and initiatives in the various governorates in waves of refugees from conflicts in the region Jordan; youth opportunities tend to be centred

Lab on Wheels document (World Bank, 2011). in Amman and Irbid, and are few and far This initiative runs country-wide at: Al-Ahli- posting or Jordan is among the top 30 countries in the between in less densely populated governo- yya Amman University, Amman; Al-Balqa’a This world with a youth bulge (Ortiz and Cummins, rates such as Ma’an in the south and Ajloun Applied University, Salt; Applied Science

2012). Well aware of the consequences of in the north. In focus groups conducted in University, Amman; German Jordanian Univer- GUNI. Copying unaddressed, jobless youth, decision-makers these areas, youth who admitted their lack of sity, Madaba; Hashemite University, Zarqa; ©

184 HIGHER EDUCATION in the World 5 University of Jordan, Amman; Jordan Univer- Link: https://www.facebook.com/oursevens ties in Jordan. This initiative directs various sity of Science and Technology, Irbid; Princess world. activities that help to instil and foster these Sumaya University for Technology, Amman; concepts within youth through social media and Yarmouk University, Irbid. Irbid City Development that feature new communities, initiatives, This initiative is based at the Jordan Univer- corporations and organizations concerned Description sity of Science and Technology, Irbid; and with providing voluntary services and chari- Lab on Wheels is a project that aims to Yarmouk University, Irbid. table work to young people. ShababShare provide young school students with the prac- allows representatives of youth initiatives tical science experiments that are missing Description to reach larger audiences, while enabling from many schools in Jordan, and to involve The Irbid City Development project seeks youth to become acquainted with their activi- students in the demonstrative and interactive to transform Irbid into an advanced city ties and achievements and facilitating the implementation of exciting projects, supple- by improving its infrastructure and public process of joining them. menting their theoretical learning with much- services, especially those dealing with waste Link: https://www.facebook.com/Shabab http://www.guninetwork.org/. needed practical experience. This initiative management. Through Irbid City Develop- Share. is supported by a nationwide collaboration ment, student volunteers and associations of universities and the Institute of Electrical come together to beautify their city. One of REFERENCES website and Electronics Engineers, a global technical their major events was the Irbid Clean Up Al-Shalabi, H. (2012) ‘V Model of E-Learning their professional association dedicated to advanc- Marathon, where for a period of several weeks Using Gagne Nine Steps of Education’. on ing technological innovation and excellence volunteers cleaned several areas of the city. Last modified November 1, 2012. [email protected]. for the benefit of humanity. The initiative will expand to reach more areas Retrieved from http://www.readperiod icals.com/201211/2875250991.html#b. Link: http://www.gjuieee.com/lab-on- of Irbid and launch a new project named The

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller (2013) ‘Arab Youth contact wheels-nationwide. Perfect Neighborhood. Survey’. Retrieved from http://arabyouth Innovation Link: https://www.facebook.com/irbid.

survey.com/. for Umi ‘My Mother’ Campaign youth.volunteers. EHEA (2013) ‘Recent Trends and Develop- please This is located at the American University ments in Jordanian Higher Education’. of Madaba, Madaba; University of Jordan, Step by Step Retrieved from http://www.ehea.info/ Amman; and German Jordanian University, This is found at the Jordan University of Uploads/Documents/JORDAN_recent_ Network trends_and_developments.pdf.

Madaba. Science and Technology, Irbid; and Yarmouk permission, University, Irbid. King Abdullah II (2012) ‘Remarks by His Description Majesty King Abdullah II On the Occasion of the University of Jordan’s 50th Anniver- University The Umi Campaign grew from a partnership Description request sary.’ Retrieved from http://kingabdullah. of four university students, three graduates The Step by Step initiative seeks to create a to jo/index.php/en_US/speeches/view/ and an established non-profit organization positive school atmosphere that inspires, moti- Global id/509/videoDisplay/0.html. (Our Seven’s World), formed to raise money vates and excites students about education. wish Ortiz, I. and Cummins, M. (2012) When the The

for mothers in Palestinian refugee camps in The initiative offers extra-curricular and after- you Global Crisis and Youth Bulge Collide: by Jordan. During a visit to the Al Husn refu- school activities such as photography, cinema- Double the Jobs Trouble for Youth. UNICEF If gee camp in the winter of 2012, the seven tography and weekly sports tournaments to Policy and Practice Division. Last modified only female university students and graduates strengthen the bond between students and February, 2012. Retrieved from http:// use became acquainted with families, especially their schools and promote a love of learning. www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Global_ those with mothers raising children in the The programme is working to create a struc- Crisis_and_Youth_Bulge_-_FINAL.pdf. for camps who had no financial means. The girls tured curriculum that encourages students to University of Jordan (2013) ‘UJ Calls Student infringement. decided to start a fundraising campaign to excel alongside their studies throughout the to Launch Targeted Initiatives’. Last modi- fied March 13, 2013. Retrieved from help these mothers, who were the pillars of school year. http://www.ju.edu.jo/Lists/SocialEvents/ authorised

their families. As Mother’s Day approached, Link: https://www.facebook.com/irbid. is Disp_Form.aspx?ID=86. copyright the Umi Campaign was founded, enabling youth.volunteers. a

World Bank (2011) ‘Project Performance is the public to donate needed items directly to Assessment Report – Hashemite Kingdom families in the camps or to buy personalized ShababShare of Jordan’. Retrieved from http://

Mother’s Day cards for 3 dinars apiece. In the This initiative is country-wide in Jordan. wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/ document posting end, the Umi Campaign fulfilled the camp’s WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2011/07/08/ or This entire wish list and raised over $22,000, Description 000333037_20110708032128/ which was used to renovate seven homes ShababShare is a social media initiative that Rendered/PDF/627320PPAR0P060c0706 in the camps and provide a seminar for the aims to spread a culture of ‘social pioneer- 01100BOX361502B.pdf. GUNI. Copying © mothers in the camp. ing’ and voluntary work within communi-

KNOWLEDGE, ENGAGEMENT AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE ARAB STATES 185