The Vice President of Yarmouk University for Scientific Faculties and Financial Affairs, Prof. Ahmed Ajlouni patronized the activities of the ACI Competition organized by the Civil Engineering Department at Al-Hajjawi Faculty of Technological Engineering. The ceremony was held to mark the accreditation of the American Concrete Institute's student branch in the Civil Engineering Department at the University as the first official student institute in the Kingdom and the fifth in the Middle East.

The Associate Dean of the Faculty of Al-Hijjawi, Dr. Faris Matalqa, thanked the university administration and the local institutions that supported the Department of Civil Engineering to obtain the official accreditation of the first student branch of the American Concrete Institute in the kingdom. He explained that the institute aims at developing modern scientific methods in concrete manufacturing technology and use and that its branch in Yarmouk will allow students to read the latest studies, researches, and scientific experiments in concrete science and provide them with the opportunity to participate in regional and international competitions of manufacturing concrete and the related fields. Matalqa then pointed out that holding such a competition at Yarmouk aims at encouraging students to think creatively and work to discover the best ways to manufacture concrete.

The President of the Jordanian Concrete Society, Nizar Qaqish, acknowledged the official accreditation of the student branch of the American Concrete Institute at Yarmouk University. He stated that such a step indicates the outstanding level of the Department of Civil Engineering at Yarmouk and its students.  Qaqish also emphasized that this branch contributes to raising the level and efficiency of civil engineers in Jordan.

During the competition, Prof. Ajlouni honored the representatives of the Jordan Concrete Society, Lafarge Concrete Jordan, and the Great Academy for Consulting and Training, which are the main supporters of the student branch of the American Concrete Institute in Yarmouk. Noteworthy that the competition was attended by the Dean of Al-Hijjawi Faculty of Engineering Technology, Prof. Ahmed Al-Shamali, several faculty members, and a crowd of students.

President of the Yarmouk University, Prof. Zeidan Kafafi met a delegation from the Free University of Berlin, headed by the Dean of the Faculty of Archeology, Dr. Dominique Bonatz, and discussed ways to enhance the bonds between the two sides and activate the agreement signed between the two universities in the areas of students and faculty members exchange. Kafafi focused on the cruciality of holding academic cooperative relations with various German educational institutions and pointed out that Yarmouk university’s main concern is to activate the collaboration agreement concluded with the Free University of Berlin in the areas of exchanging faculty members and students. He explained that such an agreement helps in conducting many researches and international scientific projects of mutual interest between the two universities, which contributes to developing the faculties’ teaching methods and acquainting it with the rapid scientific developments in various scientific and academic fields. He also explained that such academic cooperation leads to a positive outcome on university students and provides them with the skills and knowledge they need to execute their vocational roles successfully. Moreover, Kafafi expressed Yarmouk’s willingness to cooperate with the Free University of Berlin to establish a PhD academic program in the field of archeology and anthropology, considering that Jordan is rich in archaeological sites that have witnessed successive civilizations and cultures passing through the region.

In response, Bonatz expressed his appreciation of the distinguished scientific reputation of Yarmouk University and its constant devotion to keeping up with scientific developments in the various fields. Bonatz then spoke of the active role of Yarmouk University in the study and analysis of cultural heritage in the region and explained that studying such cases leads to the interpretation of the historical accounts of the successive civilizations through the ages. Finally, he emphasized that the University of Free Berlin looks forward to cooperating with Yarmouk University by including a number of outstanding scientific competencies particularly in the field of archeology and anthropology.

The President of Yarmouk University, Prof. Zeidan Kafafi met with a delegation from the University of Arkansas of the United States, headed by Dr. Douglas Rhodes, Director of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University. The meeting was held to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation between the two sides in the field of exchanging students and faculty members and conducting scientific research of common interest.

Yarmouk’s intentions to enhance scientific and academic cooperation with various international universities were highlighted, and Prof. Kafafi expressed Yarmouk's willingness to attract several faculty members from American universities to teach in the various academic departments at the university. He explained that such cooperation contributes to enriching the teaching process and provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge among faculty members, which reflects positively on the University's students and academic status. Also, Kafafi confirmed that Yarmouk University is eager to receive American students wishing to learn Arabic at the University's Language Center through its unique program for language teaching. Moreover, Kafafi declared that the university administration has a sincere belief in the importance of exchanging scientific visits for students, as this process provides them with the opportunity to communicate with other people and consequently enrich their personalities, expand their perceptions, and trigger their creativity.

Representing the University of Arkansas, Rhodes explained how excited the university staff is for the upcoming collaboration happening with Yarmouk University. Rhodes stated that the cooperation agreement with Yarmouk to conduct scientific research of mutual interest will incorporate the exchange of students and faculty members. The opportunities offered here are for students to join one of the master programs at the University of Arkansas especially in the fields of pharmacy as well as medical, and basic sciences.

The President of Yarmouk University met a delegation from the Faculty of Archeology at the University of Oxford, which included both Dr. Bill Finlayson and Dr. Pascal Fleur. The two parties discussed possible cooperation in the fields of archeology and anthropology. They also discussed the possibility of signing a cooperation agreement for the implementation of a project in the field of archeology in the area of Wadi Finan, which is located at south of the Dead Sea.

During the meeting, Prof. Kafafi expressed Yarmouk’s inclination to activate cooperation with various prestigious international universities, which contributes to the exchange of experience among faculty members regarding the modern educational methods and their deployment in various academic faculties. He explained that such a step may help the academic staff keep pace with the scientific developments in all knowledge fields and train university students. Prof. Kafafi added that the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University is one of the leading colleges in the various fields of archaeology and the maintenance of cultural heritage at the regional level. The university, he added, plays its role in the protection, studying, and analyzing cultural heritage through a range of distinguished scientific competencies. He also stated that the faculty members of Yarmouk's Faculty of Archaeology are implementing many research projects and excavations in various archaeological sites in Jordan and cooperating accordingly with several universities and international research institutes. In addition, he confirmed that the Faculty is attempting to spread awareness among individuals regarding their role in protecting the diverse cultural heritage abundant in the various areas of Jordan as such sites embody the culture of humanity and the successive civilizations throughout history.

In his turn, Finlayson praised the outstanding level of the Faculty of Archeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University and stated that the Faculty of Archeology at the University of Oxford is eager to reinforcing collaboration with Yarmouk University and establishing research projects, excavation, and analysis at the various archaeological sites in Jordan.