EMUNI Conference of ENPI Experts

Post date: Oct 06, 2010 10:9:30 AM

Amman, Jordan, 2 - 3 October. After a successful Key Experts Meeting, held in Portorož, Slovenia on 25 September 2010, Joseph Mifsud, President of the Euro-Mediterranean University accompanied by Professor Nehale Fariid Mostapha, ENPI Project Coordinator have launched on the 2nd of October 2010 the Euro-Mediterranean University conference of Experts.

Speakers:

• • Dr. Joseph Mifsud, President of the Euro-Mediterranean University, EMUNI, Portorož, Slovenia

  • HE Dr Ahmed Masa'deh, the Secretary General of the Union for the editerranean

  • HE Professor Dr. Walid Maani, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Amman, Jordan

  • Mr Abel PIQUERAS CANDELA, EU Commission delegation Amman, Jordan

  • Professor Nehale Fariid Mustapha, Dean, Beirut Arab University, ENPI Project team leader, EMUNI.

The Conference was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education in Jordan and with a full support of the General Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona ,entitled, Multicultural environment of inter -university cooperation in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean , Support to the Euro-Mediterranean University.

Some 55 ENPI project Experts from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Palestine, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and UK contributed to the work of the Conference. Experts have touched on areas related to the subjects identified as priorities by the Euro-Mediterranean Heads of State and Government Summit in Paris as well as other issues related to ENPI project supervised by Professor Nehale F. Mostapha such as Maritime and Land Highways, Civil Protection and social issues, alternative energies, higher education and research, combating pollution in the Mediterranean and Mediterranean business development Initiative.

The Guests of Honour for the meeting were HE Dr Ahmed Masa'deh, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, and HE Dr. Walid Maani Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. After a welcoming reception, the President of EMUNI thanked warmly The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan represented by HE Dr Walid Maani Minister of Higher Education for supporting the work of EMUNI hoping that EMUNI "can continue cooperation with Higher Education Institutes in Jordan". New applications to join EMUNI were made during this period in Jordan by various state and national universities. A special gratitude was addressed to HE Dr. Ahmed Masa'deh the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean for his support to both the works of EMUNI Conference of Experts and the mission of EMUNI as a whole. HE Dr Ahmed Masa'deh, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, delivered the keynote speech to the invitees where his Excellency emphasized the importance of the work of the Euro Mediterranean University "that constitutes a great step towards the construction of a common space for Higher Education, Research and Knowledge". HE the Secretary General in particular said that "We always talked about the cultural and historical boundaries of the Mediterranean basin countries and it is now the challenge of the UfM and its secretariat along with the EU, the member states, the Civil Society and trans-border organizations such as EMUNI, to enhance today this solidarity with a pragmatic approach and concrete projects. This programme proves once again that hand in hand, people and organizations of the two banks of the Mediterranean basin can put their energy together to build their future on their common interests and challenges."

H.E. Masa'deh further reaffirmed that "it is now the responsibility of the Union for the Mediterranean, its institutions and its partners to dare baring the construction and the success of a "highway of Knowledge and innovation", in order to build the prosperous future of our civilizations".

The Secretary General emphasised that by encouraging university partnerships, collaboration between academics as well as euro-Mediterranean training and programs, the EU service contract for EMUNI is a concrete step towards a common knowledge and multicultural approach of the future, allowing young generations to think and work in an environment of cultural diversity.

In his speech, HE Professor, Dr Walid Maani Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research articulated the major development process that the Jordanian Higher Education System had encountered. HE the Minister of Higher education also underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation such as the one that EMUNI proposed to the development of the Jordanian Higher Education Sector, calling for "more enhanced cooperation" in areas such as the exchange of Students, quality assurance and transferability of credits. The Minister also offered a "full support of the Jordanian Government and academics to the mission of EMUNI". He also reaffirmed his wish that Emuni should have a presence on Jordanian soil to benefit all Jordanian institutions such as the Hashemite University of Jordan and JUST, a benefit that must be extended to others both inside the country and within the region.

The Project is a service contract that Emuni has with the European Commission aiming to deliver innovative postgraduate programmes tailor-made for the priority areas of the Union for the Mediterranean. It also includes the establishment of policies highlighting issues of e-learning, quality assurance and PH.D policies of the region.

For the occasion various embassies were represented (Belgium, France, Italy, Egypt, etc). Also present was the President of the University of Fez in Morocco, a key partner to the Emuni Project in Slovenia and the President of the Association of Arab Universities which has its seat in Amman. A number of University Presidents from Jordan were also present for the events.