On November 27, 2019, the German Jordanian University (GJU) conducted a workshop to promote cooperative education in the Logistics Sector.

More than 30 companies joint the workshop and have thus expressed their interest in supporting the education of young people.

The main aim of the meeting was to introduce the private sector to the Dual Studies Program the University had set up just one year ago. Companies involved in the first implementation of the program reported on their experiences.

For many years now, there has been a recurrent complaint from the private sector that young people, when having completed their education, do not have acquired the skills needed, to successfully enter the workforce.

By developing a cooperative education format that involves the private sector in the training of young people this gap finally can be bridged.

The meeting was opened by GJUs Vice President Prof. Dr. Ralf Rosskopf. Prof. Rosskopf stressed out, that this program is a pioneering one. For the first time in Jordan, the private sector has a key role in educating Jordanians Youth.

On behalf of the German Development Cooperation giz, Dr. Wolfgang Frohberg welcomed the participants and expressed his delight by the great interest. He also thanked GJU for all the efforts that have been taken until the first Dual Studies Program had started.

Dr. AbdelRahim Alsoussi, Professor for Logistics sciences, introduced GJU’s Dual Studies Program. He explained the design of the Dual Studies Bachelor Track in Logistics Sciences and stressed out the advantages for the private sector when getting involved. Furthermore, he sent a clear message that GJU is very interested in cooperation with the private sector; this is a program that can only be successful in cooperation.

Ms. Nadia Shahin, the General Manager of Amin Kawar & Sons and Mr. Rakan Madi the Managing Director Jordan & Iraq of Maersk, shared their experiences with the program. Ms. Shahin emphasized how much she liked the cooperative approach in which the program was developed. “It was a completely new experience that a University contacted companies and discussed the idea of this new concept. Once the program came to life it was a ‘no-brainer’ for us to join” she said.

 “I wish that there would have been such kind of program when I was at University”, Rakan Madi opened his speech, ‘the student we trained at Maersk was amazing, we could integrate him in many of our operations and he learned very fast.’

In the following panel discussion Mr. Hakam Abul Feilat, general manager from Aqaba Logistics Villages pointed out that “as a company we see the program as a part of our human resources’ strategy, it gives us the chance to recruit young talents and train them according to our needs.” Farah Darwish, Logistics Team Member at Zain who was the trainer of one of the students, explained that the dual student was not the first trainee she was responsible for, but she had never before experienced such close cooperation with the University the student was coming from, this exchange was very fruitful.

Sama Al Akar, one out of the first batch of students - doing her practical phase at Petra Drugstore - explained that it was a completely new experience for her to work a whole day, how she felt totally integrated into her partner company and how fruitful it was to connect theoretical knowledge with practical experiences.

Dr. Imad Hatamleh the Academic Dual Studies coordinator was also one of the lecturers who carried out a Dual Studies Course, in which he was teaching students together with company employees. Within these courses, theoretical knowledge was combined with practical experiences and examples from the local market. The students had to reflect on the theory they have learned to the ‘on-the-ground-situation’ they have found in their partner-companies, the results students have delivered have been outstanding for young people who have just finished less than one year of University education.

At the end of the Workshop, many representatives for the present companies expressed their interest to join the program.

For more information and if you are interested to join too, please contact: dual.studies@gju.edu.jo