Delegation and study trip of the THWS Campus GATE to the German Jordanian University

Students of Social Work and Hydrogen Technology at THWS visited the German Jordanian University (GJU) in Amman at the end of November together with the Campus GATE team and Prof Dr Arnulf Hörtnagl (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering). The THWS group was accompanied by a three-person media team led by René Anderl. The aim of the trip was to exchange and network with the first cohort of the Hosted Programme Hydrogen Technology at the German Jordanian University (GJU) and to create marketing materials for both cooperative study programmes. Campus GATE is a transnational educational project of the THWS in cooperation with the GJU, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The two hosted programmes Social Work (Transnational) and Hydrogen Technology (Transnational) form the core of the in-depth cooperation between the two universities.

During the week-long delegation and study trip, the group visited various energy companies and NGOs in the field of social work. This gave the students a unique impression of the work on site. At the organisation "Medics without Borders", for example, they were given a guided tour of the Mouwasa Hospital, which - still very untypical for Jordan and the region - places great importance on holistic treatment and treating patients from war and crisis zones. So far, only one social worker works at the hospital, as social work is not yet fully established as a profession in Jordan. This underlines the importance of the Hosted Programme Social Work (Transnational), which aims to meet the high demand for well-trained social workers and contribute to the further professionalisation of the discipline in Jordan.

In the area of sustainable and green energy, the students exchanged ideas with the company Kawar Energy in the Abdali district. The company has been active in the field of sustainable energy since 2005 and focusses on solar energy as the most important energy source in Jordan. Green hydrogen is now to be developed as a new line of business, in which energy generation from photovoltaic systems also plays an important role. Specialised engineers are needed to bring hydrogen to the market as a clean energy of the future, which is why Kawar Energy sees the Hosted Programme Hydrogen Technology (Transnational) as an important step towards ensuring a sustainable energy supply.

During the week in Jordan, the media team worked intensively on creating marketing material for the two study programmes.  Local representatives from the fields of social work and hydrogen technology provided information in short video clips about their professional experience, their motivation and the extensive career opportunities in both disciplines. The discussions clearly showed that there is a need for well-trained graduates in both fields in Jordan.

The highlight of the successful week was a central event on the GJU SABE campus, which served to provide information about the hosted programmes and to promote the connection and exchange with business partners and experts from the fields of hydrogen technology and social work. The success of the trip is reflected not only in the diverse impressions of the places and organisations visited, but also in the extensive production of authentic marketing material for the hosted programmes. The intensive exchange between the students from both universities has deepened their professional and linguistic understanding and led to the first networking steps, which are to be continued in the coming year.