Category: General

The Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA) received international academic accreditation for its Teacher Education Professional Diploma (TEPD) from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the largest accreditation council of its kind in the United States.

The QRTA has become the first educational organization in Jordan to be fully accredited by CAEP for the coming seven years, which is the maximum accreditation length granted by the council. The QRTA is also the third educational organization in the Middle East to obtain the CAEP accreditation, after the United Arab Emirates University and Zayed University, making Jordan the second country in the region to receive such recognition.

Commenting on the most recent accomplishment, the QRTA CEO Osama Obeidat said: “This achievement is one of many underscoring the vision of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah for education, marking yet another addition to QRTA’s longstanding track record.” He added that the CAEP accreditation positions QRTA alongside many international institutions working in the field of teacher preparation and training.

The QRTA continues to extend free training programs for school teachers – including the School Networks Program, Advanced Instructional Leadership Professional Diploma, Psychological Adaptation Skills Program in Crises and Emergencies, and several MOOC courses, among others.

He pointed out that as part of the CAEP accreditation process, the council examines the soundness of QRTA’s quality assurance systems to ensure continuous improvement and innovation that reflect on its program outcomes and graduate competencies.

The CAEP considers proficiencies of the teachers in the subject they are preparing to teach, and their ability to apply that knowledge efficiently, and create viable educational opportunities for a diverse student population.

QRTA Business Development Senior Manager, Nabila Bashir, stressed that “obtaining the CAEP accreditation is a substantial academic achievement that bolsters the Academy’s standing and programs both locally and globally.”

She noted that the accreditation process took two years to be completed, starting with a rigorous strategic plan and detailed road map. This was followed by a comprehensive action plan, including extensive documentation and a self-study report demonstrating evidence of meeting each of the five CAEP standards. The process concluded with a site visit involving interviews with various relevant stakeholders.

“The accreditation is a seal of approval for QRTA that assures quality in educator preparation,” said Bashir. “It includes a framework that prompts such programs to continually self-assess and conduct evidence-based analysis to gauge their efficacy in order to promote continuous improvement and produce distinguished educators.”

Established in 2009, QRTA is a non-profit organization committed to the vision of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of supporting and empowering educators with the skills to become creative and diligent professionals, who are well-equipped to nurture and lead future generations. QRTA offers innovative and evidence-based professional development programs informed by international best practices and the latest research in the field.

QRTA has extended thousands of professional development opportunities to public school teachers and leaders, and continues to offer many training programs and host its annual Teacher Skills Forum. This year’s forum, which was held virtually, drew the viewership of nearly 7,000 educators from 50 countries worldwide.

Source: Jordan News Agency

HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal, Chairperson of the Jordanian National Committee for Women (JNCW), stressed the importance to continue national efforts to empower Jordanian women in various fields and maximize and build on the successes they made in the administrative and leadership positions they hold.

During her participation in a meeting organized as part of the activities of the annual international campaign against gender-based violence, 2021, titled: “Together to end political violence against women in the public and political spheres – She has a place and status”, Her Highness also stressed the role of youth, as “the nucleus of positive and real societal change,” and investing in their energies in various fields.

Her Highness pointed out the importance of the media in raising awareness of women’s issues and their political, social and economic rights, combating all forms of violence and bullying against women, and avoiding irresponsible and unconscious criticism of women.

She stressed the importance of networking between all national institutions and concerned authorities, and exchanging expertise among them to advance the role of women in public life, recognize their role and achievements in society and enhance the construction and development process.

For her part, JNCW Secretary-General, Salma Al-Nims, said the committee focuses on youth as a key pillar in change, analysis, innovation and changing trends, noting the importance of youth in spreading societal awareness towards women’s issues.

During the meeting, Her Highness listened to a number of youth initiatives from various regions of the Kingdom in the field of raising awareness of women’s rights, empowering them socially, politically and economically, and rejecting all forms of violence directed against them.

JNCW focuses on supporting the establishment of local, national and international alliances and networks, especially for youth, to raise awareness about the positive effects of achieving gender equality on society as a whole, the importance and active role of women, and the need to enhance their participation in building societies and achieving prosperity, security and peace.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday visited the National Command Centre in Doha.

Crown Prince Al Hussein was accompanied by Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, assistant to the chairman of the Safety and Security Operations Committee of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the operations commander for the championship.

His Royal Highness was briefed on the main duties of the National Command Centre and the safety and security measures for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Public Works and Housing Yahya Al-Kasbi and Tunisian Minister of Equipment and Housing Sarah Zafarani Tuesday discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the field of housing, construction and contracting.

During the virtual meeting, Al-Kasbi noted the deep and solid relations between the two countries in the various fields, including housing, construction and contracting, and said he looked forward to further enhancing the exchange of expertise.

He said the ministry had carried out a number of projects and more are under implementation, which all meet highest international engineering standards, and had launched studies and inspections to ensure periodic maintenance and sustainability.

Jordan, he said, attaches great importance to supporting investment, noting the government had approved measures to promote investors in the various fields, namely housing and construction.

The ministers agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding, validate previous memoranda and form a joint committee to follow up on bilateral agreements, bring down barriers facing companies, and access markets in the two countries and neighboring countries.

The Tunisian minister reaffirmed her country’s keen interest in enhancing cooperation and partnership with Jordan in all fields, saying she aspired for an enhanced partnership and the exchange of expertise.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Astronomical calculations point to a full eclipse of the sun on Saturday morning, but it will be seen only in certain regions, but not in Arab or Muslim countries, According to astronomer Imad Mujahed of Wadi Rum Observatory.

Mujahed told Petra in an interview that the climax of the eclipse will happen at 10:00 Jordan time, and will be partial at 11:06, while the whole duration of the eclipse will be 1 hour and 54 minutes.

The full eclipse will be visible from the South Pole, while people in South Africa, southern Atlantic and parts of Australia can only witness the partial eclipse, he added.

The full solar eclipse, he noted, is a spectacular natural phenomenon that happens when the moon blocks the sun’s light from particular spots on Earth, and is the only astronomical phenomenon where the moon can be seen by the naked eye while in conjunction with the sun.

Source: Jordan News Agency

About 200 radical Jewish settlers Tuesday broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif compound in occupied East Jerusalem, in the latest breach of one of Islam’s holiest sites.

Eyewitnesses told Petra’s reporter in Ramallah that the settlers broke into the compound under the heavy escort of Israeli special police and toured the plaza in a provocation against worshippers.

The occupation authorities closed the main Al-Magharebah gate in the walled Old City of Jerusalem for the entry of settlers as part of tightened military measures against local Palestinians and worshippers.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Romanian Ambassador to Jordan George Cristian Maior on Tuesday said that the Kingdom represents a strategic pivot in the Middle East and one of the closest partners of the United States and the transatlantic community in this complex and important region.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) on the occasion of his country’s national day, the ambassador said that the high level of stability and a modern entrepreneurial sector also represent a key factor for Jordan to be considered as a regional hub for investment, adding “concretely, we are keen to contribute to enhancing our cooperation with a special focus on the expansion of cooperation in such fields as security, agriculture, investment and trade, energy, transport and infrastructure, IC&T, medicine, research and education, as well as people to people contacts”.

He stressed that the relations between Romania and Jordan have a long history of political, economic, and cultural cooperation that has been permanently enhanced over the past 56 years of diplomatic ties, appreciating the Kingdom’s role and its intense efforts in the region, considering it a significant partner in the Middle East, with balanced and moderate approach.

“Romania has always voiced its support for the Kingdom’s aspirations for closer cooperation with the EU, including through the opportunities offered by the innovative new Agenda for the Mediterranean. We also support a closer cooperation with NATO. Romania commends the importance of joint work with Jordan in the global fight against international terrorism,” he said.

The envoy hailed the ongoing bilateral extension of the economic and sectorial cooperation; as Romanian companies are currently involved in the development of Jordan’s electrical grid and the rehabilitation of one dig at the Dead Sea.

“On August 2021, the volume of bilateral trade increased by 72.37% compared to the same period last year, with Romania ranking among the first 15 exporting countries in the Kingdom and 3rd in the top of EU members states, having cereals and live animals as main products,” he said, noting that the total investment of the nearly 3500 registered Romanian companies that have Jordanian capital reached, as of last month, almost USD28.5 million, proving that Romania offers a favorable and friendly business environment for Jordanian investors.

Commenting on the tourism ties, Maior indicated that during the years; Jordan became one of the top Middle East destinations for Romanian citizens, reaching a peak of more than 15000 tourists in 2019. “Even in the hardship times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Romanian travel agencies were among the first foreign entities to organize trips to the Kingdom, with several weekly direct flights” he said, voicing hope that this sector will grow tremendously in both nation’s interests with their great cultural heritage sites recognized by international bodies such as UNESCO.

As for the scientific and academic cooperation, the envoy highlighted the bilateral higher education cooperation with more than 10 Erasmus Plus agreements signed with different Jordanian universities, adding “the two sides are collaborating based on the Program of Cooperation in education for 2019 under which the Romanian Government has increased the number of scholarships for Jordanian students to more than 50 yearly for bachelor, masters and Ph.D., as the Romanian education system is well known and very much appreciated in Jordan.”

The envoy also mentioned that the Romanian community in Jordan stands at over 5,000 people, while more than 14,000 Jordanian citizens have studied in Romania during the last decades, which truly represents the deep ties between the two countries. “Therefore, we will continue supporting the different cultural programs, one of them aiming to start a Romanian language course,” he said.

Speaking about his country’s position on the Palestinian issue, he emphasized Romania’s traditional, constant stance and ongoing support for implementing the two-state solution, with a need to implement confidence-building measures to facilitate the resumption of direct dialogue between the two parties, expressing the Romanian authorities’ willingness to contribute to the international community’s efforts to resume direct negotiations by generating the necessary conditions for achieving this strategic and important goal.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Tuesday condemned the Israeli President’s storming of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron.

In a statement, Ministry spokesman Haitham Abu Al-Foul affirmed that this “condemned and rejected step” represents a violation of international law, support for extremism, unjustified provocation and disregard of Muslims’ feelings.

He added that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved in 2017 that the Ibrahimi Mosque is one of the Palestinian heritage sites, and called for an immediate end to such provocative practices.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday received European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Varhelyi at Al Husseiniya Palace.

The meeting covered cooperation between Jordan and the European Union, as well as the latest regional developments.

King Abdullah thanked the EU for supporting Jordan’s development and reform programmes, stressing the Kingdom’s keenness to expand its partnership with the European Union.

The meeting also covered coordinating efforts to counter COVID-19, with His Majesty stressing the importance of the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan for the South Neighbourhood countries in supporting Jordan’s post-COVID recovery efforts and regional projects.

For his part, Commissioner V?rhelyi commended Jordan’s efforts in hosting refugees, stressing the Kingdom’s key role in promoting regional stability and security.

He highlighted the European Union’s support for Jordan’s efforts to counter economic challenges, noting the strategic partnership between the EU and the Kingdom.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Planning Minister Nasser Shraideh attended the meeting.

Source: Jordan News Agency