Amman, Feb 23 (Petra) – The President of the University of Jordan, Nathir Obaidat, met on Sunday with Kim So Young, Director of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Jordan, and her accompanying delegation to discuss the establishment of the Korean Institute for Engineering Training.

Obaidat emphasized the university’s readiness to provide all necessary facilities to ensure the success of the project and its objectives, expressing his pleasure with the ongoing cooperation between the university and KOICA.

He highlighted the university’s international standing, underscored by its globally recognized programs and its appeal to international students, positioning it as a globally-oriented institution. Obaidat also stressed the importance of preparing graduates to be globally competitive.

For her part, Kim So Young stated that the next phase would focus on developing an integrated executive plan for the project, ahead of signing the final agreement. She expressed pride in the collaboration with the University of Jordan.

A representative from KOICA noted that the institute would be established with a $11 million budget from KOICA, as part of a five-year project (2025-2029). The project aims to develop infrastructure, curricula, and staff training, and to enhance collaboration between the university and industry to improve the skills of engineering graduates.

Project representatives from the university, Riyad Kasasbeh and Osama Habahbeh, presented the project’s vision and goals, emphasizing its aim to bridge the gap between educational outcomes and market demands by providing practical training in advanced fields such as cybersecurity systems, green energy, industrial automation, and artificial intelligence.

They noted that the project was inspired by best practices from countries like South Korea, Singapore, and Germany, and aims to build an effective partnership between the academic and industrial sectors to ensure high-quality educational outputs.

The total budget for the project is $16 million, with KOICA contributing $11 million to cover building, laboratory, training, and administration costs, while the University of Jordan will contribute $5 million for land, infrastructure, and management.

//Petra// AF
23/02/2025 23:18:33