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About the Conference

AI breakthroughs have made the long-heralded paradigm shift in higher education a current necessity and reality. Future universities must go beyond teaching increasingly rapidly obsolescent knowledge. They need to enable students to thrive in a fast-changing environment, question certainties, and collaborate in a solution-oriented manner on complex current and anticipated challenges. Universities themselves must transform to remain relevant.

The conference brings together German and Jordanian university members to share reform approaches and explore future-oriented models through keynotes, a panel discussion, and interactive workshops that lead to practical outcomes.

Agenda at a Glance

Moderation: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Farah Al-Atrash (Dean DSA, GJU)

• 08:30 Registration & coffee reception
• 09:00 Welcome & opening

Session 1: The Future of Higher Education

• 09:30 Keynote 1: Future Skills
• 10:15 Keynote 2: Future Universities
• 11:00 Panel Discussion: The Future of Universities (Moderation: Asst. Prof. Dr. Fadwa Dababneh, Dean DI-TECH, GJU)
• 12:00 Coffee reception / break

Session 2: Approaches

• 13:00 GJU Competence Matrix - Prof. Dr. Iyas Khader (Vice President-AE, GJU)
• 13:20 GJU Micro-Credential Strategy - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ziad Abu El-Rub (Dean SAMS, GJU)
• 13:40 International Network for Future Universal Skills Education (INFUSE) - University of Applied Sciences Hamm-Lippstadt

Session 3: Workshops

• 14:00 Workshops
• 16:00 Wrap-up of workshop outcomes (Moderation: Dr. Lena Abu-El-Haija, Director CTC, GJU)

Session 4: Wrap-up, Perspectives & Closure

• 16:30 DAAD Funding Opportunities - Stefan Bienefeld (Head of Transnational Education, DAAD)
• 17:00 Closure
• 18:00 Barbecue

Topics & Guiding Questions

Workshops and discussions will explore questions such as:

• What conditions and developments are leading to the paradigm shift in higher education?
• What are the needed future skills, and how can they be taught effectively?
• What role do micro-credentials play, and what is the future of traditional study programs?
• Will students be able to customize educational pathways across different universities?
• What legal conditions, structures, processes, standards, networks, and capabilities are required?
• How urgent is the need for reform?

Call for Workshop Proposals

Participants of German Week, invited Jordanian universities, and GJU staff are encouraged to submit workshop proposals.

Proposal should include: title, chair & affiliation, fixed participants (if applicable), objective, abstract, activities, and an outline for ~1.5 hours. Workshop chairs are asked to summarize conclusions in 5 minutes during the wrap-up.

Submit to: Vice.President-IA.Office@gju.edu.jo
Deadline: 15 March 2026

Registration (Shared with German Week)

Registration is done via one shared form for German Week 2026 and the Future University Conference. In the form, you can select:

• German Week 2026
• Future University Conference
• Or both

After registration, you will receive confirmation and any relevant instructions by email.

Contact

For inquiries and workshop proposals:
Vice President for International Affairs Office (GJU)
Email: Vice.President-IA.Office@gju.edu.jo