German Jordanian University Publications First published in 2015 by: German Jordanian University Publications Amman, Jordan Jecht, Dorothea (Editor) 10 Years GJU: The German Dimension Amman, German Jordanian University Publications, 2015. Deposit Number at the National Library, Jordan: (2015/3/1357). German Jordanian University Trans-National Education Title ISBN 978-9957-8712-0-8 Copyright 2015 © German Jordanian University All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or recorded, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any infor- mation storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. 10 YEARS GJU The German Dimension EDITOR: DOROTHEA JECHT “Dear Chancellor Merkel, I can say that I’m very satisfied with our cooperation on a bilateral level. Above all, with such successful projects as the German Jordanian University, this is certainly one of the most successful projects I’ve seen in my country in the past ten years. We hope that we can move forward on this basis even further”. HM King Abdullah II, 2012 CONTENTS WELCOME NOTES ATTRACTING THE BEST PRESIDENT OF GJU 010 INTERVIEWS WITH GJU VICE PRESIDENT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS HOLDERS 096 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 012 PRESIDENT OF DAAD 014 PROJECT DIRECTOR GJU GERMANY 016 STARTING A GREAT RECTOR OF MAGDEBURG-STENDAL CAREER UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES 018 INTERVIEWS WITH GJU GRADUATES 112 THE GERMAN TEACHING AND DIMENSION AS A TRAINING IN GERMANY INTERVIEWS WITH GJU STAFF 136 UNIQUE FEATURE 024 STUDYING AND LIVING TEACHING IN JORDAN IN GERMANY INTERVIEWS WITH GERMAN PROFESSORS 160 REPORTS OF GJU STUDENTS 036 FOSTERING THE STUDYING AND LIVING IN EXCHANGE JORDAN INTERVIEWS WITH GERMAN REPORTS OF GERMAN STUDENTS 068 NETWORK HEADS 176 APPROACHING OUR PARTNERS IN GERMANY GERMANY INTERVIEWS WITH THE GERMAN INTERVIEWS WITH PARTNER LANGUAGE CENTER OF GJU 196 UNIVERSITIES AND PARTNER COMPANIES 254 CONNECTING THE WORLDS SCHOOL OF APPLIED HUMANITIES AND LANGUAGES 209 SCHOOL OF APPLIED TECHNICAL SCIENCES 212 SCHOOL OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 217 SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT 220 SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTIC SCIENCES 224 SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT 228 SCHOOL OF APPLIED MEDICAL SCIENCES 236 OUR GERMAN PARTNERS EDITORIAL NOTE 272 IN JORDAN INTERVIEWS 245 Welcome Notes President of GJU Dear friends of GJU, This year comes at an important juncture, of them joining German companies. Gladly which is the tenth anniversary of our beloved speaking, our students have proven capable of university and while we are accomplishing a beating the challenge and coping well with the significant milestone in GJU’s journey. I feel demands of a new and challenging education. very lucky and proud to witness this great event in my capacity as president of this Another major achievement of GJU is the great university. In its first decade, GJU has fact that it is working closely and effectively managed to establish an acclaimed status with the German Academic Exchange Service amongst the various universities operating (DAAD) to establish the distinguished in Jordan. Great efforts have been made partnership that we are currently enjoying. by all GJU previous and present staff and Such relation goes back to the early years leaderships, in order to achieve this great of GJU inception. Since then, the University reputation of a successful and unique example has been enjoying generous support from of Jordan’s higher education. DAAD, as well as from all its German partners, namely the German Federal Ministry of Over the past decade, GJU has been investing Education and Research; the state of Saxony- in its partnerships with German institutions Anhalt; Magdeburg-Stendal University of of higher education and industry by applying Applied Sciences; and the German Embassy a double and parallel strategic approach. in Amman. Truly, their support has rendered First, by adopting a new methodology of students’ mission easier and made it possible. curricula and instruction whereby the model Once again, I would like to congratulate our of applied science universities adopted in GJU family and our friends for 10 years of Germany is implemented alongside the success and prosperity! theoretical aspect of the programs. Secondly, by promoting knowledge transfer. In that, the University has managed to forge links with a consortium comprising more than 90 German universities, with Magdeburg University of Applied Sciences as head of this consortium. Hundreds of our students go to join our partner universities in Germany during their fourth year of study, in addition to hundreds Prof. Dr. Natheer Abu-Obeid President of GJU Vice President for International Affairs Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends of GJU, GJU has one of the most impressive concepts, and for supporting collaborations within promoting the cooperation between multinational research projects. Jordan and Germany in the field of Higher The German dimension is visible also at GJU Education, as well as bridging intercultural Campus: not only by German staff, but also exchange between diverse cultures and by many professors and exchange students societies. from Germany who wish to spend a semester or teaching period at GJU. The German dimension is anchored within the fundament of the university, and in The unique study concept based on the daily life on campus. Its unique feature is German model of Universities of Applied the mandatory German Year, consisting Sciences paves the way for its students to of a study semester at a German partner be innovative, creative, and competent in university, and an internship in a German the labor market and in the world of national company. Furthermore, it is manifested in and international industry. Ten years after the intensive German language courses its foundation, the GJU has gained an offered to the student body, in order to be outstanding reputation in Jordan and the well prepared for the German Year. With a region. Its graduates are very unique: being total number of 73 lecturers, the German trilingual –Arabic, English, German – , and Language Center of the GJU is now the having received a practice-oriented education; largest of its kind in the world. they have excellent career opportunities; and they are amongst the best paid in Jordan. The The German experience is not limited German dimension certainly contributed to to students only. Local academic and this success. administrative staff are encouraged to take part in exchange programs to get to know This booklet presents the uniqueness of GJU our German partner universities and our - the German dimension - in all its facets. industrial counterparts. We invite you to explore one of the leading universities in the Kingdom which represents Our GJU networks, consisting of GJU and the best of both worlds. German professors as well as German industry partners, have laid the fundament for continuously evolving the GJU study concept, such as curricula development, Prof. Dr. Anton Mangstl Vice President for International Affairs at GJU since 2011 Former Director at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization President of DAAD Building bridges through education: the founding standards and a strong practical orientation, of the German Jordanian University (GJU) ten always focusing on the regional needs of the years ago has strengthened the ties between our labour market and the objective to serve the two countries by all means, especially with regard region’s socio-economic development concerning to academic relations. The German Academic industrialization and technological progress. At Exchange Service (DAAD) is convinced that it the same time, the GJU counts on excellence in all was the right decision to support and fund such a fields of academic management, applied research successful project since its very beginning in 2005. and instruction: GJU’s dedication to quality The so-called “German dimension” of the research as well as a combination of research- university is outstanding: the GJU is based on the based teaching and student-centered learning model of German universities of applied sciences do underline the institution’s ambitions to be a and is considered a milestone and a unique leading university in the whole region. The special example of a successful higher education project focus on practical academic training and German in the Middle East established in cooperation expertise becomes especially apparent by the facts with the DAAD. The GJU is one of our largest and that all GJU-students have to study German and most renowned transnational education projects, furthermore pass one semester at one of the more which are financed by the German Federal than 90 partner universities and one semester Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). with an internship in an industrial undertaking in The establishment of such an exceptional Germany during the fourth study year. No other binational university was certainly due to the transnational education project has ever realized dedication and commitment of both the Jordanian so fully the connection to Germany and to the and German partners by merging innovative applied sciences model “made in Germany”. higher education approaches, promoting Without the personal commitment of the academic and industrial links between Jordan leading German partner, the Magdeburg-Stendal and Germany as well as fostering intercultural