Situated in the heart of the Middle East, Jordan is a country with lively markets, historic landscapes, culinary pleasures and a fascinating culture. The German Jordanian University (GJU) in the Hashemite kingdom is a popular destination for THWS students' semester abroad.
Imagining life in the Middle East must be hard for someone who has never been there. Media representation and clichés shown are often one-sided and limited. Jordan neighbouring countries are Israel, Palestine, Iraq and Syria – areas where conflicts are omnipresent. So, how is it to be there? "I felt really safe in Jordan", states Iman Blume without hesitation. This is also what Dr. Daniel Wimmer, Head of the International Office at THWS, confirms: "A certain amount of attention for what happens around you is a given. No matter, where you go."
Iman Blume, Master's student of Social Work, spent the winter semester 2020/21 at the GJU. She describes: "Jordan is a very appealing host country. Jordanians welcome everyone with open arms." Of course, you must, however, first get used to the cultural circumstances. "My biggest challenge was being flexible", Iman remembers. She explains what she means by this: "Plan changes, for example, when lessons were rescheduled. But you get used to this pretty quickly." A semester abroad is thus not only meant to broaden your horizon but can also help you realise how much lives around the world differ.
Campus life at the GJU
The GJU has two locations, which are about 30 kilometres apart: in Madaba and in the capital, Amman. In the capital, the Campus for Architecture, Design and the Social Work Master's Programme are located. There, Blume took evening courses, and her Arab lessons in the morning. With a smile on her face, she talks about time differences of daily routines in Jordan, for example also regarding meals: "Breakfast is eaten late. At around 5 p.m. you eat lunch, and dinner even after 10 p.m."
The cultural community there, as Blume puts it, "has totally fascinated me". This also includes an Arab-German exchange, where people meet to improve their language skills. Strolling through the markets of Amman, the so-called "Souqs", was another thing the student enjoyed a lot. She happily thinks back: "It was a lot about having tea and meals together."
Blume used the weekends to get to know the country: "The North is lush and green, then in the Middle it gets quite urban and the landscapes become rocky. If you go south, at first you encounter desert landscapes– and at the borders of Jordan, the city of Aqaba offers beaches and the chance to bathe in the Red Sea."
Mobilising the future by collaboration
Blume's Master's programme focuses on refugees and migrants. Meanwhile, she's returned to Germany, where she works in a German refugee home while completing here studies. Her time in Jordan also benefits her in this job as the country was and will stay a safe harbour. It is home to one of the biggest refugee camps of the world, known as "Zaatari", which is less than 15 kilometres from the Syrian border and is home to more than 80,000 refugees from Syria, Iraq and other countries. According to Blume, her semester abroad has brought her closer to the people she is trying to help. She says: "Now, I can more easily understand how people perceive family or religion and what they mean to them." That she has also increased her cultural awareness can be seen in moments like these: "Even if I just say a few sentences in Arabic, the other person starts to feel more confident in my presence."
Blum's story is one of many. The practical learning opportunities and experiences, that Jordan and the GJU offer, keep moving lots of people. The same is true for the Jordanian students at THWS. This summer semester, there are again five THWS students from the Master's programme "International Social Work with Refugees and Migrants" visiting Jordan.
Click here to listen to the podcast "International: A semester abroad in Jordan" (podcast in German/English transcript available)
The partnership with the German Jordanian University (GJU)
Since 2008, THWS has maintained a flourishing partnership with the German Jordanian University (GJU). The Jordanian state university is located in the capital, Amman. It is also based on the model of German universities of applied sciences. Thus, the practical focus is as relevant to the curriculum of the GJU as at THWS.
The cooperation between the two universities includes an exchange programme and also research and various successful science and arts projects. These are financed by considerable third-party funding which benefits higher education in both countries. More than 420 students of both universities have already participated in the exchange programme. The GJU offers more than 20 Master's programmes and 25 Bachelor's programmes. These include engineering, management, health sciences and languages.
"Such partnerships also benefit peace-keeping", emphasises Dr. Wimmer, Head of the International Office. "We want young people from all over the world to get to know and understand each other." The International Office advises not only THWS students but also international host students with their planning processes for their stay abroad. Partnerships like the one with the GJU are also initiated by the International Office. To Dr. Wimmer it is clear that both university partners are aligned regarding their competences and interests. Through their cooperation, they thus do not only support the "big minds" of tomorrow but also promote intercultural dialogue.