First Practical Phase in Dual Studies Completed

Amman- 9 October 2019

As the first University in Jordan GJU implemented a new study concept: Dual Studies. Students studying in this track are not only gaining theoretical knowledge but also practical experiences, through working a prolonged summer term within a company. Now the first 17 students (13 from Logistics Sciences and 4 from Computer Sciences) finished their first practical phase. This first experience was evaluated as a complete success from all sides. Here are some quotations, from the involved groups:

Students:

I was not sure if ‘Logistics’ was the right study choice, but this practical phase helped me to understand the opportunities of logistics and to connect the theory with practice.

It was a challenge to work 8 hours, but I had the feeling that I could support my colleagues and that my work makes a difference.

I have the feeling that I am different person; I learned time management and what it means to take responsibility.

Companies

We can shape a new employee from the beginning of his / her studies, this will pay back on the long run.

In-company-trainer-training helped us to sharpen our training plans and methods for the whole company.

The students sometimes are challenging you which their questions to think about processes.

 University Lecturers

The students learned to communicate in a different way; I can see big differences in emails I got from students before the practical phase and now.

When I was looking at the presentations, the students were giving, they are much better than what we usually see from first year students, they learned to speak technical language and how to introduce a topic.

 

The partner companies are:

Ikea, Amin Kawar, Petra Drugstore, Naouri Group, Zain, Masafat, Aqaba Logistics Village, Maersk, Central Trade & Auto (Toyota), CMA CGM, Fine Hygenic, Maani Ventures, Al Roward for Printing and Publishing, Umniah, Intrasoft

 

For more information, please contact: dual.studies@gju.edu.jo

 

 

Information session for Schools on Dual Studies at GJU

On Tuesday 26th of March an information session about the major impacts of cooperative educational concepts on curriculum design took place at GJU. Deans and representatives of the Schools for Applied Technical and Medical Sciences and the School for Management and Logistic Sciences joined the workshop facilitated by the Dual Studies Advisor Stefan Braun.

After a short introduction into the established structure for the Dual Study Tracks and the needful requirements on companies, Prof. Dr. Edda Pulst from the Westphaelische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen made a dynamic impulse presentation about the experiences she made within the last years with Dual Studies in Germany. She stressed out that the relationship between companies and universities as well as between companies and students are the keys for successful Dual Studies. The exchange of ideas between companies and academia leads to innovation and the monitoring and coaching of the students in the companies ends up in sustainable partnerships for all involved parties.

Finally, an open discussion on the challenges and chances of Dual Studies for the Schools and Department of GJU closes the event. Directly after the workshop the attending representatives of all schools expressed their interest to implement the Dual Studies.

We welcome our possible new partners and looking forward to manage to implementation process of Dual Studies at GJU together.

For further information on Dual Studies, please contact: dual.studies@gju.edu.jo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On February 27 and 28, 2019, the School of Management and Logistic Sciences (SMLS)- Logistics Sciences Department together with the Dual Studies Advisors from the Office for Industrial Links (OIL) at the German Jordanian University (GJU), conducted an internal Strategic Meeting on Dual Studies. The meeting was joined by GJU’s Vice President Prof. Dr. Dorit Schumann.

The meeting had a very ambitious agenda aiming to introduce the progress made in the Dual Track in Logistic Sciences, discuss the internal selection criteria for students who are joining the Dual Track within GJU, as well as the companies’ matching process, discuss the dual studies courses’ content and delivery methods,

In addition, discuss the evaluation criteria for student’s practical phases at the partner company, and within the crash courses, discuss adding a 0 CH course to evaluate each practical phase with pass or fail results, suggest lecturers for each dual studies course, discuss the bylaws draft and finally announce the next related events.

Dual studies coordinator in the Logistics Sciences Department, Dr. AbdelRahim Alsoussi, had invited to this meeting in order to update the academic staff about the latest developments and involve them in the decisions that have to be taken in order to answer open academic and administrative questions. These topics need to be clarified before starting the first Dual Studies intake in this year’s summer semester.

Dr. Wolfgang Frohberg, Head of the MOVEHET Higher Education component at giz, which supports the Dual Studies programs at GJU, gave an overview to the participants of giz activities in the field of Vocational Training and Higher Education. He introduced the ongoing activities and how the Dual Studies are embedded in the overall strategy for the sector.

By the end of the two days, all participants have been very satisfied with the positive results and specific action points that were achieved within the one and a half meeting days.

"The meeting was successful. It did establish a much-needed informational symmetry, generate ideas and helped on agreeing on some controversial points", stated Dr. Malek Alsharairi, Dean of the School of Management and Logistic Sciences (SMLS).

The meeting was also visited by representatives from other schools, which are planning to introduce Dual Studies in their own programs. 

For more information, please contact: dual.studies@gju.edu.jo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company Workshop for Dual Studies in Computer Science

On February 21, 2019, the German Jordanian University (GJU) together with the National Sector Skills Council (NSSC) for Information and Computer Technology (ICT) conducted a Workshop with the private sector to look for common ground on how to set up a Dual Studies Program in Computer Science.

The idea of Dual Studies is to enrich the predominantly theoretical academic education with extended practical application and training phases in participating companies.

For this endeavor, the GJU Office of Industrial Links joint forces with the NSSC – a permanent employer-led body that promotes skills development in a given economic sector – as well as with the German Development Cooperation giz.

The workshop took place within the premises of Amman Chamber of Industry, whose training Institute Ejabi has a tradition in building a bridge between private sector and education, as Dr Samer Khurma, Ejabi Director pointed out in his welcoming speech.

Dr. Ala’a Enscheiwat, the CEO of Zain cash, who is the Head of the NSSC Board, welcomed the participants and explained from the perspective of the private sector, why getting involved in training is not only a social activity for the private sector, but also pays back economically. Finding employees that are well-trained and ready to work, is the basis for success especially in a sector, which mainly relays on their human capital.

For the German development cooperation giz the Head of component Dr. Wolfgang Frohberg, descripted his own positive experiences with dual students in Germany. He imposes that it is an interest of giz, to support programs and ideas that are developed in Jordan and serve the Jordanian country. Therefore seeing a notable number of private companies and University staff, highly engaged in developing new education models is a great pleasure.

From the side of GJU, Dr. Sahel Alouneh, Dean of the School of Computer Engineering and Information Technology together with Dr. Stefan Braun, Dual Studies Advisor at GJU, described the Dual-Studies Model at GJU and how this could be designed in the specific field of Computer Sciences.

After that, the sixteen companies present from the sector were discussing the study program and what part of the content could be applied within the company phases. In small groups, intensive conversations took place and many good approaches have been generated.

As next steps it was agreed, that the GJU will develop a model out of the valuable suggestions by the participants. Furthermore, all interested companies will be visited to discuss technical questions as well as administrative issues.

The participants agreed that the goal is to start the first Dual Program in Computer Science this summer.

 

For more information, please contact: dual.studies@gju.edu.jo

 

GJU Press Release, November 28, 2018

"Best practices on Dual Studies in Germany"

 

To read the full article, please click here.

 

 

 

 

 


GJU Kick-offGJU Press Release, October 30, 2018

"Official Kick-off of GJU’s first Dual Study Program in Logistics"

 

To read the full article, please click here.

 

 

 

 

 


GJU Press Release, June 19, 2017

"GJU Signs MoU with Aqaba Logistics Village"

 

To read the full article, please click here.

 

 

 

 

 


GJU Press Release, February 5, 2017

"GIZ Palestine representative visits GJU, for exchange about Dual Studies programs at al-Quds University and GJU"

 

To read the full article, please click here.

 

 

 

 


GJU Press Release, January 23, 2017

"GIZ Appraisal Mission for new project ‘Promotion of labor-market TVET and applied Higher Education’ presents its findings, including Dual Studies"

 

To read the full article, please click here

 

 

 

 


GJU Press Release, January 10, 2017

"GIZ Appraisal Mission visited GJU, inquiring possibilities to support GJU’s Dual Studies project"

 

To read the full article, please click here

 

 

 

 


Jordan Times, September 3, 2016

"Projected programme to offer university students practical experience in parallel to theoretical education"

Article by Merza Noghai

 

To read the full article, please click here

 

 

 


Office for Industrial Links Press Release, June 1, 2016

"Industry University Workshop on Dual Study Porgrams at GJU"

 

To read the full article, please click here

 

 

 

 

 


Petra Jordan News Agency, September 1, 2016

"Dual Studies workshop at GJU" (in Arabic)

 

To read the full article, please click here.

 

 

 

 

 


GJU Press Release, June 1, 2016

"University Industry Collaboration Workshop at GJU: Cooperation Opportunities and Challenges"

 

To read the full article, please click here.