German Academic Exchange Service opens new regional centre in Jordan
The Middle East as a region of origin of international students coming to study in Germany has played an important role in past recent years. At the same time, the cooperation between higher education institutions in various countries from the region and German institutions has increased.
The international students and international cooperation help to strengthen the international competitiveness of German universities and has a positive impact on the education sector. This internationalisation is one of the main aims of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). It promotes the internationalisation activities of German universities and research organisations, strengthening German cultural and language studies.
DAAD has cooperated with Jordan for many years in the academic exchange and regarding Foreign Academic Policy and decided to open a new regional office in the capital city of Amman earlier in June this year. The regional office will be responsible not only for Jordan but also for Iraq, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.
DAAD Professor Joybrato Mukherjee said about the new opening: “Jordan is a regional anchor of stability that plays a key role in establishing international research relations and higher education partnerships both locally and in the surrounding countries. This is why I am very happy about the opportunity to further expand our cooperation via a dedicated regional office.”
DAAD’s first academic relation in Jordan started with the lecture funded by DAAD in 1974 at the University of Jordan. Since then DAAD has funded lectureships, lecturers and language programmes in the country. The main activities of the new DAAD regional office will be consultation with and informing of students, researchers and higher education institutions in Jordan and the region, promoting Germany as a higher education destination, and the implementation of scholarship programmes.
DAAD values Jordan as an important partner as approximately 2,500 studying or working students and academics from and in Jordan are funded every year.
One of the main higher education projects in the region has been the foundation of the German Jordanian University in 2005 providing a top-quality education based on the German model of universities of applied science.
The work of the organization relies on a network of regional offices and information centres in more than 60 countries providing a comprehensive picture of not only higher education in each respective country but also of the political, economic, social situation. Its 18 regional offices and numerous information centres advise the students with the interest in studying abroad about opportunities in studying abroad and about the German education and research sector.
