TEJ Final Conference – Jordan
Date: 2-3/11/2016
Venue: Jordan – Landmark Hotel
HRH Princess Sumaya, the president of the board of trustees of the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), on Wednesday, November 2nd attended a conference marking the conclusion of TEJ - TEMPUS project “Towards a university Enterprise alliance in Jordan.”.
Princess Sumaya delivered a speech at the ceremony, referring to the positive impact of the project on higher education in the Kingdom. HRH noted that the contents and objectives of the workshops and training sessions held within the project in Europe, and the special skills acquired, was transferred to Jordan professionally to enrich the skill of involved parties, who is serving as a role model. HRH said that the chamber of Commerce played an active role in bridging the gap between the academic and industrial sectors; it is the attitude of the national partners, government departments and educational institutions who support the culture of mutual cooperation between the two sectors.
Prof. Walid Salameh, the project coordinator at PSUT, reviewed TEJ objectives represented in Stimulating the development of a Jordanian university-enterprise cooperation culture, by: -promoting good practice for implementing University-based Enterprise Liaison Offices in 8 Jordanian universities, Creation of capacities in human resources and Promoting of coherent information and communication strategies among the Universities’ communities and within the local business environment as well as providing necessary strategic input for the creation of long-term partnerships and collaborative research with enterprises.
Prof. Walid referred to involving the students and staff of partner universities in the project through the training workshops, competitions and innovation fair allowed them to draft reports about the students’ needs and define the challenges facing the academic sector then take advantage by transferring Bologna experience.
TEJ won as the best project in the east Mediterranean in Brussels, in November 2015; the project was presented before the European commission who’s impressed the tangible results and achievements of TEJ and its effect on Technology Transfer topic in addition to create a real university-enterprise cooperation, Prof. Walid said.
The European Union's ambassador in Amman, Mr. Andrea Matteo Fontana, emphasized the common vision Jordan and the EU share on many issues, including the cooperation between the public and private sector and the employability of young people, which is the cornerstone of the newly adopted Human Resources Development strategy.
The EU is proud of having provided financial assistance to this project over the last three years. It has helped to establish a University Enterprise Alliance in Jordan. Not only Princess Sumaya University of Technology has benefited but also 7 other universities, the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, the Business Park for Project Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research were involved, next to partners from Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, the ambassador added.
Mr. Fontana praised established liaison offices at these 8 Jordanian Universities which provides a platform for dialogue with the private sector and offers a long-term strategy for cooperation between the so-often segregated worlds of academia and industry. This cooperation provides an important pillar for the employability of graduates coming from the Higher Education Sector.
A presidents of public and private universities, students, professors, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jordan Engineers Association in addition to keynote speakers from Denmark, EU partners and Jordan had participated in the final conference which held over two days by submitting academic papers and review their experience in the project's topics.