Campus GATE student launches first German Club at GJU

Ala’ Al-Turki, a Campus GATE student majoring in Hydrogen Engineering, has recently launched the first-ever German Club at the German Jordanian University (GJU), aiming to make learning the German language more accessible and enjoyable for students while fostering a deeper cultural connection between Jordan and Germany.

Having achieved an impressive C1 level of German proficiency earlier this year in her first year at university, she was inspired to create a space where students can practise the language, explore cultural aspects and prepare for their study time in Germany while having fun and meeting new people. She notes that the structure of the Hosted Programmes gave her the opportunity to reach this higher level, incorporating technical language that will be helpful in her future career.

As the President of the German Club, together with 16 other Board Members, they are launching the first activities. “We want to make the German language easier for everyone”, she says. “Many students find it difficult, especially the pronunciation”. Through the club, they aim to make it enjoyable, connecting language and culture without borders. “I really enjoyed learning the language and I would like to help others enjoy it too”, states Al-Turki.

The club’s mission goes beyond language learning. It introduces students to German traditions, daily life and culture through interactive activities and themed events. Planned activities include German holiday-themed activities, such as Christmas, and cultural discussions that bring students closer to the spirit of German traditions. Al-Turki says that, with these activities, the club also aims to prepare students for their time in Germany before moving there.

Their first event, which took place last week, was a linguistic treasure hunt around the campus and cultural quiz. It brought together around 20 students of different German levels in a lively mix of teamwork and learning. The next event is a speaking session with fun dynamics, which will take place regularly. The first session will be on November 12th and aims to encourage everyone to practise conversation in a supportive environment.

In these first few weeks, she has met lots of new people through the club. “It has been very interesting to get to know people from other majors and other years”, she says, adding that the diversity of participants from various backgrounds and German levels is what makes the experience unique. “This is the university experience. University is not just about taking lectures; it’s also about making connections”. She explains that any GJU student can join the club, the only requirement is that they are motivated to learn German.

Al-Turki is also very grateful to the German Language Center and its director, Jacqueline Rogler, who has been very supportive. She started working on the idea at the beginning of October, and just in few weeks, the German Club has become one of GJU’s largest student clubs, according to the Deanship of Student Affairs (DSA). Al-Turki explains that, according to the latest list provided by the DSA, 150 students are now club members. However, their communication channels already have 220 active members. This marks the second student club established by Hosted Programmes students, following the creation of the Hydrogen Club earlier this year.

The German Club is currently preparing activities for next year, including seminars with the German attaché, guest talks about Germany and other cultural and language events. One of Al-Turki’s long-term ideas, still in early planning stages, is to organise a trip to Germany for some of the club’s most motivated and dedicated members to practise the language and explore the country. However, this will depend on securing the necessary funding.

At Campus GATE, we celebrate this initiative, which perfectly reflects our mission to strengthen transnational links between Jordan and Germany, promote intercultural understanding, encourage students to learn German, and empower them to succeed in both academic and cultural contexts. We wish the German Club every success and many enjoyable moments as they learn about the German language and traditions.