Tempus: Europe says 'Education knows no boundaries'

On 4 March 2008 for the third time participants from different Jordanian universities learned about new calls for proposals launched in February and received practical information on cooperation opportunities.

H.E. Minister of the Higher Education, Dr. Omar Shdeifat, Tempus National Office Director, Prof. Ahmed Abu El Haija, and Head of the European Commission Delegation to Jordan, H.E. Ambassador Patrick Renauld addressed participants, and illustrated the achievements and the weaknesses of the programme in Jordan.

Since Jordan started participating in the Tempus programme in 2002, 18 Joint European Projects and 5 Structural and Complementary Measures projects have been selected for funding by the European Commission, and 26 Individual Mobility Grants have been awarded to individuals to visit higher education institutions.

In this relatively short period of time, collaboration with 14 European countries and seven Mediterranean countries is already taking place. This involves the mobility of faculty members and students from Jordan to Europe and vice versa, providing the proper environment for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the people of Jordan and Europe.

In his key address Ambassador Renauld reiterated the European Commission's support to Jordan's top national priorities; poverty reduction and job creation, and conveyed "Europe needs you as much as you need it, this is not a saying this is an evidence, supported by growing efforts and true deeds on the ground".

He stressed "modernizing the education system, offering quality teaching, and culting edge research, will lead to improved governance, develop stronger partnerships with the business community and strengthen links with society in general". He concluded "Knowledge- based economy is your key to fight against poverty; it is your magic potion towards creating more jobs, and promoting the well-being of your people. These are the top priorities of your government, and we shall leave no effort to stand by you in your hardship".

Professor Turki Obaidat, Deputy Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research stated "today we take part as active participants and experts. It is indeed heartening to see both European and Jordanian experts working side by side for the welfare and development of education in both Europe and our part of the world".

Among the projects implemented in Jordan are: Establishment of Master degree in Archaeological science, Establishing Biomedical Centre of Excellence (Yarmouk University), Curricula Development for Integrated Water resource management, Centre for Wireless and Internet Technologies, Modernisation of Nursing Master Programme (JUST), Improving Education and Integration of Children with special needs (University of Jordan).

Maysa A. Al-Hamad, M.Sc. Student, Nursing, JUST who benefited from the programme was quoted saying "Tempus has raised sense of devotion toward nursing practice in terms of client care, professionalism, and self-development. Being exposed to different educational cultures facilitates the process of personal growth and enhances our critical thinking and decision making processes..."

For 2008 the priorities for Jordan set in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education are: modernisation of curricula (engineering and health sciences) and governance reform (introduction of quality assurance and development of international relations).

The European Commission's contribution to support Jordan's Education Sector Reform, and to Jordan's Education System to maintain the performance of services and to respond to the increased demand for equitable access to quality education, since 2006 to 2011 amounts to €100m. Another EU programme that Jordan is benefiting form is "Support to Research and Technological Development & Innovation" (€5m, 2006 -2010). It aims at creating stronger links between the research community and private sector, tackle unemployment among university graduates, and improve Jordan's image abroad as competitive centre of technologically advanced products.

Tempus is an EU funding programme which focuses on the modernisation of the higher education systems in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region through co-operation with institutions from the Member States of the European Union. Tempus aims at enabling beneficiary countries to reform and develop their educational systems by submitting specific projects that are directed at improving educational management or creating specific academic programmes. It is the concrete 'people to people' approach: its added value lies in its promotion of international and regional co-operation, which generates better communication and new networks of personal and professional contacts between the academic worlds of the EU and the partner countries.