EDU-SYRIA Scholarships Awards Ceremony

On Thursday, April 21, the German Jordanian University organized a ceremony to honor the students who received Edu-Syria Scholarships, in the presence of a representative of HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Dr. Hakam Al-Alami, Advisor to HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal on Water and Sanitation.

During the speech of HRH Prince El Hassan that was delivered by his representative Dr. Al-Alami, HRH Prince El Hassan commended on EDU-SYRIA program objectives of helping the Syrian refugees in Jordan and Jordanians from the refugees host communities, and admired EDU-SYRIA unique model in cooperating the public and private academic sectors which combines the strengths of both sectors and yields successful outcomes.

HRH emphasized the importance of unifying the efforts in providing education to all people regardless of their religious backgrounds whether they are Christians or Muslims, Sunna or Shia.   

“It is also estimated that the socio-economic cost of not educating ‎children is seven times higher than educating them.” HRH stated.

HRH added that only through learning can the young generation be saved and enabled ‎to reach their full potential and play an active role for the prosperity in ‎the country and the region. 

GJU President Professor Natheer Abu Obeid emphasized that GJU has always believed in the importance of education and esteeming it as a meaningful concepts of enlightenment and hopes for humanity.

Abu Obeid continued his speech stressing the GJU initiatives lately of serving and helping Syrian refugees that became one of its considerations.   

He further extended his appreciations and thanks to all Jordanian institutions that collaborated and worked together on this project. In addition, he thanked the EU for leading and supporting this great initiative.

For his part, Dr. Dhiah Abou-Tair – EDU-SYRIA Project Manager explained the idea behind EDU-SYRIA project that aims at providing a framework for helping Syrian refugees as well as Jordanians in communities that are hosting Syrian refugees, to get access to higher education through a set of scholarship programs. 

He thanked the EDU-SYRIA team for their great efforts, and all organizations who supported the project, especially the UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council.

HE Mr. Andrea Matteo Fontana – Ambassador of the European Union said during the ceremony that ‘The European Union and the MS have provided more than 5 billion EUROs in support of the Syria crisis since its outset. These funds will notably be used to fund the provision of education, job creation and economic development for refugees and their host communities” The Ambassador added: ‘ This program is about providing hope to a new generation. It is the start of a series of EU funded programs targeting Syrian and disadvantaged Jordanian students.

Both Deema Sebaa’e and Raed Taa’mah, scholarship holders expressed their gratitude to the European Union for providing them scholarships to get the best education, and supporting them to make their dreams come true.

It is worthy to mention that the project which falls under the Higher Education to Syrian youth and disadvantaged Jordanian youth affected by the crisis in Syria and in Jordan is EU funded with a total value of EUR 4 million. It provides higher vocational education, bachelor and master degree courses and allowances to 390 students.