News
At the invitation of the translation department at YU, Dr. Annett Bochmann from the University of Hildesheim in Germany delivered a lecture on the psychological and social status of refugees and the positive roles of interpreters in mental health sectors.
In her lecture, Bochmann talked about the German experience in hosting refugees and training interpreters to assist during refugee’s psychiatric treatment sessions. Bochmann then trained translation students on the skills that interpreters should acquire for working in such sectors.
At the beginning of the lecture, the head of the department, Dr. Mohammed Obeidat, welcomed the guest, and confirmed that the department has always sought to involve students in various activities and events that improve their translation skills.
Dr. Somaya Al-Qudah, the activity supervisor, pointed out that the department's students need such training since the translator's role is not limited to language skills. She added that interpreting in medical and mental health sectors requires interpreters to receive training in linguistic, cognitive, cultural, psychological and professional domains, considering the continuing need to recruit qualified interpreters to work in international organizations in Jordan.
The president of YU, Dr. Zeidan Kafafi, and the international manager for the Middle East at the French University of Sciences-Po, Lea Albrieux, discussed possible means and ways of academic cooperation.
At the beginning of the meeting, Kafafi stressed the keenness of YU to cooperate with prestigious international universities, which enhances educational processes, and provides training and research opportunities for both students and staff. He also pointed out that YU is one of the first Jordanian universities to participate in Erasmus+ student exchange programs, which opened doors for scientific and research cooperation with various European universities.
Kafafi further pointed to framing cooperation with Sciences Po in social sciences through signing a memorandum of understanding within the Erasmus+ program to benefit from exchange programs, as well as sending students from Yarmouk to seek postgraduate studies there, confirming the readiness of YU to receive students from Sciences Po to learn Arabic at the Languages Center.
Albrieux, for her part, expressed Sciences Po’s willingness to cooperate with YU, proceeding from their philosophy to expand cooperation with various Middle Eastern countries through students and staff exchange programs. She also gave an introduction about Sciences Po in which she stated that the university is a pioneer in social sciences, and ranked fourth for politics and international Studies in QS, adding that it has cooperated with more than 400 universities around the world, and uses French and English as languages of instruction to allow more students from Middle East countries to enroll.
The meeting was attended by vice president, Dr. Ahmed Al Ajlouni, dean of the faculty of Arts, Dr. Mohammad Bani Domi, director of International Relations and Projects, Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Otoom, director of Public Relations and Media, Mr. Mukhlis Al-Ibbini, and Dr. Reham Jaradat from the Department of Modern Languages.
Dr. Zeidan Kafafi, president of YU, met a delegation from El-Hikam Consultant Center (ECC) in Indonesia, headed by the Director General, Masroohan bin Khatib. The two sides discussed means and ways of cooperation.
During the meeting, Kafafi stressed the keenness of YU to cooperate with various educational institutions around the world, including Islamic countries in East Asia, pointing that YU have signed many cooperation agreements with Indonesian universities in terms of teaching Arabic, Sharia and Islamic studies, which reflects the role of YU in serving Arabic language and in the dissemination of Islamic teachings. He further reviewed the degrees offered by YU in various academic disciplines, and the development that YU have witnessed recently.
Bin Khatib, for his part, praised the academic reputation that YU enjoys in the region, particularly in teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages, and in Islamic studies, noting that the center seeks to benefit from Yarmouk experiences and competencies, and hoping to serve as a link between Yarmouk and various Indonesian universities in students and staff exchange.
The meeting was attended by several officials from both sides.
Dr. Amal Nseir, dean of Students' Affairs at YU, sponsored a cultural activity entitled "A Journey around the World", organized by Students’ Care Department at the deanship of Students Affairs, in which Arab and foreign students studying in Yarmouk participated.
The activity was about a flight full of passengers heading to several countries around the world, and the opportunities that passengers have, when landing on each country, to learn about the country’s culture and heritage.
Students from Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Indonesia and the United States of America featured cultural and art performances that included traditional songs, folk dances with traditional costumes, and poems.
Nseir praised the international students’ creativity in transferring their countries’ heritage and culture to Yarmouk students, and stressed their integration with the university community and the importance of fostering their creativity and talents.
The activity was attended by the dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dr. Wael Al Rashdan; assistant dean of Students Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Alawneh; director of Students' Care Department, Mr. Marwan Tayfur; faculty members from the faculty of Fine Arts; officials from the deanship and university students.
It is worth noting that the number of international students at Yarmouk is 2600 from 43 Arab and foreign countries.
The president of YU, Dr. Zeidan Kafafi, met Dr. Mark Johnson from the College of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, representative of the American Fulbright Program. Means and ways of cooperation between the two universities were discussed.
Kafafi pointed out that YU has academic agreements with various American universities and educational institutions, that include students and staff exchange programs. He also pointed out that Yarmouk was one of the first universities to join the Fulbright Program, and a key partner in educational exchange programs as well as students grants. He further stressed the need to activate these relationships and to invite faculty members from American universities to teach in the different departments of YU to enrich the teaching process and to share experiences.
Kafafi also stressed the need to strengthen cooperation with the University of Wisconsin for its distinguished academic reputation in various fields, especially in medicine and education, adding that Yarmouk has been a pioneer among local and regional universities in offering certain disciplines such as media and fine arts. He also pointed that YU aspires to offer an MA degree in Museum Studies at the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology, which will be the first at the kingdom.
Johnson, for his part, confirmed the U.S. Embassy’s keenness to strengthen cooperation between Jordanian and American universities through the Fulbright Program, and the keenness of the Fulbright program in Jordan to offer opportunities for academic cooperation between Yarmouk and various American universities in different fields to enhance educational processes at YU.
He further expressed the University of Wisconsin's readiness to cooperate with Yarmouk through students and staff exchange programs in disciplines of interest to both sides, stressing the need to provide students with English and communication skills necessary to pursue their postgraduate studies in American universities.
The meeting was attended by vice president, Dr. Fawwaz Al-Abed Al-Haq, dean of the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology, Dr. Hani Hayajneh, the director of international relations department, Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Otoom, and the director of public relations and media, Mr. Mukhlis Al-Ibbini.
