First batch of Arab Open University's Jordan branch to graduate
Jordan Times - 12/08/2005</B> The Arab Open University's Jordan branch is to celebrate the graduation of the first batch of students on Saturday.
Some 400 students will receive their bachelor's degree in education, and higher diploma certificates in a ceremony to be held under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania.
According to Director of the Jordan Branch Taleb Sarie, this will be the first batch graduating under the university's open learning system.
This new system, the first of its kind in Jordan, is intended to provide a new alternative to support existing systems of education, and to keep up with the universal trend towards bringing about the reform and diversification of higher education, according to Sarie.
As a matter of fact, Sarie explained, the concept of the Arab Open University was promoted by Prince Talal Ben Abdul Aziz, president of the Arab Gulf Programme for the United Nations Development Organisations.
The aim of the university, which has branches in some Arab countries with Kuwait as its headquarters, is to turn out graduates who are capable of embracing the latest technology and who are also capable of working in a globalised economy.
In particular, the open learning system adopted by the university is intended to offer educational opportunities to everyone no matter where they are, according to a statement issued by the university.
In that, the university offers housewives, employees and people in remote areas a chance for professional development and continuous education, the statement said.
AOU, which teaches primarily in English, offers the bachelor's degree in four different disciplines: Information technology and computing, business administration (systems track), and English language and literature. The fourth programme, education, is taught in Arabic, according to the statement.
There are plans to expand vertically and horizontally in these and other programmes according to market and labour needs in the future, the statement quoted Sarie as saying.
The Arab Open University has signed an agreement for cooperation and affiliation with the UK Open University (UKOU). The statement said this agreement with UKOU includes three major areas: Licensing of materials, consultancies, accreditation and validation. The university has been granted institutional accreditation and programme validation by the Open University Validation Service of the United Kingdom. At the same time, this agreement will provide the student with the chance to obtain a joint certificate from both universities, which, of course, contributes to the university's acclaimed international standing and reputation.
Likewise, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research here has granted the Jordan branch the institutional accreditation and programme validation for the three programmes taught under licence by the UKOU. The fourth programme in education is to be granted this status soon.
In keeping with its mission to reach students residing in remote areas easier, Sarie, emphasised in the statement, the branch has plans to establish learning centres in major cities like Zarqa, Irbid and Karak. These centres will operate as integral components of the university branch and will be well-equipped with local networks of personal computers, multimedia work stations, and multimedia facilities.
The first of these centres has been launched in the beginning of the academic year 2004/2005 within the campus of the Yarmouk University in Irbid. An agreement has been reached between the two universities in this regard.
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