Suha Alsubaihi
The University of Jordan (UJ) today held the inaugural meeting of the Korea-Jordan Training Institute for Engineering and Technology (KJTIET) project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), during a visit by a Korean expert delegation to prepare the project's executive plan.
The meeting was attended by the University President, Prof. Nathir Obeidat, his deputies Prof. Ashraf Abu Karaky and Prof. Ziad Alhawamdeh, along with the deans of the School of Engineering and the King Abdullah II School of Information Technology, department heads from both schools, directors of relevant centers, and members of the project team at the University.
The delegation’s visit to UJ began with a meeting between the UJ President and KOICA Country Director, Kim Soyoung, accompanied by her deputy, Jeon Jihyun. The discussion focused on ways to enhance cooperation between the University and KOICA across various fields, including the development of joint academic programs with Korean higher education institutions, student training opportunities in Korea, and support for infrastructure development, including the modernization of classrooms and educational facilities.
During the extended inaugural meeting that brought together project teams from both sides, Obeidat expressed his pleasure with the progress of the project and the advancement of its implementation stages. He emphasized the need to align the project’s execution with national requirements and local realities, including challenges related to resources such as water, to ensure the project achieves its intended impact at both academic and national levels.
For her part, Soyoung expressed pride in the achievements so far, commending the commitment and efforts of UJ’s faculty members. She emphasised that this project represents a pivotal milestone in the cooperation between Jordan and Korea and appreciated the University’s participation and collaboration.
The meeting included a presentation by the Project Director, Dr. Suh Wontak, which outlined the project’s general objectives, detailed components, executive structure, scope of work, timeline, and distribution of roles and responsibilities, as well as the anticipated impacts and current standing. Partner institutions involved in the project were also reviewed, including the Korea Productivity Center (KPC) and Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU).
The institute aims to enhance technical competencies in Jordan in line with the needs of modern industries, support the national economy by strengthening partnerships between the University and the industrial sector, and prepare qualified technical personnel ready for the labor market. The project is implemented in collaboration with a specialised Korean consortium of experts in curriculum development, industrial automation, cybersecurity, green energy, and quality assurance.
The project also focuses on building the capacities of Jordanian personnel through advanced training programs, including training of personnel and academics in Korea, training-of-trainers programs at the University, and the launch of a convergent technology forum as a sustainable platform for University-industry collaboration, fostering innovation, joint projects, and support for startups.
The ten-day visit of the Korean delegation to UJ includes a series of intensive meetings, field visits to the School of Engineering and research centers, assessments of academic and technical needs, meetings with representatives from industrial and government sectors, and specialised workshops to discuss the main plan and timeline for 2026. The visit will conclude with a final meeting with the University administration to review the outcomes and preparations for the next phase.