Launching of Projects Funded by EDU-SYRIA/ EDU-JORDAN

Amman, November 4 – EDU-SYRIA/EDU-JORDAN Program, funded by the European Union through the Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, “Madad”, and managed by the German Jordanian University, launched today nine projects to improve the livelihood options of vulnerable Jordanian and Syrian refugees and youths. The projects will provide the beneficiaries with access to higher and vocational education and improve their employability opportunities.

These nine projects are funded through the following components: the “Bottlenecks” Alleviation Program and the Entrepreneurship Training Scholarship Program.

The “Bottlenecks” Alleviation Program (BAP) is implemented by Nuffic and its main objective is to alleviate three critical transition points; transition from high school to higher education, successfully completing higher education degree programs, and finally, the transition from higher education to the labor market.

Nuffic has selected five projects so far for the BAP program to be implemented; “Career Acceleration Project for Creative Designers” by the American Center of Research (Acor), “Youth Resilience Skills and Tools to Survive 2021 Labor Market” by Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans (AAF), “Training on Solar PV Module Cleaning and Site Housekeeping” by EDAMA Association, “Pathfinder – Professional & Post-secondary Education” by The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), and “Digital Empowerment and Entrepreneurship for Refugees (DEER)” by Specto software development.

The Entrepreneurship Training Scholarship Program (ETSP) is implemented by Luminus Shamal Start Business Accelerator and aims to enable groups of young Jordanian and Syrian entrepreneurs to create sustainable businesses and to turn their ideas into startups. It achieves this by providing training on necessary competencies and skills to start and run an enterprise, office space, legal and technical support, mentorship, networking, and access to potential investors. Four entrepreneurial teams have been chosen so far: “Dion for cosmetics”, “Retal perfumes”, “Woodchuckers” for Wooden products, and “Fayhaa Arts” for interior design.

The President of the German Jordanian University, Prof. Dr. Alaa Al-Din Al-Halhouli, indicated during the ceremony the importance of the EDU-SYRIA/EDU-JORDAN program and its role in building the capacities and skills of young people in less fortunate societies, indicating that it is a project that is consistent with the university’s strategic plan to be a university of applied sciences and a pioneer in education, research, innovation, and leadership. It is in line as well with the university plan to serve the community, and build partnerships and support community participation. Dr. Al-Halhouli pointed out that the university recently established a Deanship of Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Entrepreneurship to enable and disseminate the concepts of leadership and innovation in the university and society as a whole, expressing his thanks to the European Union for their support of projects that serve the community.

The EDU-SYRIA / EDU-JORDAN programme manager, Dr. Dhiah Abou Tair said that the programme has provided so far 2922 higher education scholarships, and is planning to enroll 825 beneficiaries for “Bottlenecks” Alleviation Program-BAP, 160 beneficiaries for Entrepreneurship Training Scholarship Program -ETSP, and 250 beneficiaries for Six-Month Labor Market Oriented Course Scholarship Program-LMP.

The EU representative, Dr. Anna Schmidt, stated “The EU is proud to support a programme that is not only supportive of innovation but innovative in its own design, as the only locally-led EU funded project in Jordan. Only 3% of refugees worldwide have access to higher education. With this programme we invest in learning but also employability and entrepreneurship. We are trying to build a community of learners that will not only financial support but also inspire the next generation of Syrians but also Jordanians. In education, we don’t necessarily always know the end result, but we start a change process. As Amer Hijazi, one of the grantees said: This scholarship is not only for one individual. Receiving a higher education degree inspires that person’s sibling, children and creates the same desire for education in the next generation”.