The Vice-President of the European Commission, his Excellency Mr. Margaritis Schinas, visited the German Jordanian University on Tuesday, June 4th, where he met with the students who benefited from the Syrian-Jordanian education program (EDU-SYRIA) and students who benefited from the “Erasmus Plus” cultural exchange program. In the presence of the German Ambassador to Jordan, Mr. Bernhard Kampmann, and the University President, Prof. Ala’aldeen Al-Halhouli.
Mr. Shinas expressed his happiness with this cooperation and diversity between the Jordanian and European sides, and his presence in Madaba, the city of mosaics and the place of the Orthodox Church of St. George, which is considered a model of coexistence between followers of different religions.
He stressed the European Union's keenness to strengthen this cooperation and develop bilateral
programs, most notably the Syrian Jordanian education program (EDU-SYRIA) and the Erasmus+ exchange program. He added that the two sides are looking forward to enhancing cooperation and providing more services that give young people additional opportunities for education and to benefit from the programs provided in this field.
He called on young people to seize opportunities, expand their dreams, achieve successes in their working lives, trust their dreams, and not give-up when facing difficulties and challenges.
Mr. Schinas presented the role of the European Union on regular migration and asylum, developing youth capabilities and enhancing their skills, including the Syrian Jordanian education (EDU-SYRIA) and the “Erasmus Plus” programs, which allows students to spend a semester at European universities, all with support and funding from the European Union.
The President of the German Jordanian University, Prof. Ala’aldeen Al-Halhouli, reviewed the university’s progress, which was established in 2005 in cooperation between Jordan and Germany,
its programs and its applied scientific approach, expressing the university's pride in being a headquarter for training programs to exchange cooperation between Jordan, Germany, and the European Union in general, and to promote innovation, exchange experiences and cultures.
The Director of the Syrian Jordanian Education program (EDU-SYRIA), Professor Dr. Dhiah el Diehn I. Abou-Tair, gave a briefing on the project since its launch nine years ago, the value of which was provided by the support provided by the European Union.
Until the current year, approximately 38 million euros were granted, and approximately 4,685 scholarships were provided to Syrian and Jordanian refugee students, with varying percentages reaching 70 percent for Syrians and 30 percent for Jordanians.
He added that the program is run by the German Jordanian University in cooperation with a number of local and international universities and educational and professional institutions, stressing that the program will continue to provide scholarships to those Syrian and Jordanian students who need them.
The Vice President of the European Union answered the students’ questions and inquiries, which focused on the continuity of support for scholarship programs for the Syrian refugees’ students in the coming years and the continuity of assistance to the Syrian refugee community, the host communities, and discussed how the European Union is keen to support the Palestinians through the support provided by the European Union to UNRWA.
