New agricultural development and water management project in Jordan set to start in March
On 13 and 14 January, MSM Project Director, Diederik de Boer and Project Manager, Hans Nijhoff met with project partners from the University of Jordan and Al-Balqa Applied University in Amman, Jordan to discuss the start of the new Nuffic Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) in Jordan.
Together with CINOP, Q-Point BV, Profyta BV and Acacia Water BV, Maastricht School of Management (MSM) will start a Nuffic funded project in Jordan to enhance and modernize horticulture curricula and programs of Shoubk University College, Al-Huson University College, University of Jordan and Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU). The aim is to narrow the skills gap of graduates and the industry. Another important component of the project is to strengthen entrepreneurial skills of students and stimulate self employment in the sector. The project will be implemeted in the context of improving horticulture productivity through more efficient usage of irrigation water.
MSM delegates visited the local partners in early January to lay the foundation for implementation. They also visited the Dutch Embassy in Jordan to see how the project can link to other Dutch-funded projects – both existing and upcoming. The team visited the Jordan valley where most of the greenhouse horticulture is based, and assessed the potential of the Agricultural research center of the University of Jordan to become a training hub of staff and students of the two participating TVET Colleges, and to become a base for collaborations between horticulture education, private horticulture companies, and (semi) government institutions in agriculture and water.
Official kick-off
The visit was also intended to discuss the official kick-off of the project with the University of Jordan, BAU, and the two participating Colleges. The program was discussed and plans were made for this launch to take place in early March 2020, which is when the project is set to officially start.
Nuffc Orange Knowledge Programme
This project is part of the Orange Knowledge Programme. Nuffic OKP contributes to a society’s sustainable and inclusive development by providing access to education and training for professionals and organisations in technical vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education. It is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of its development cooperation policy. The subsidy programme is managed by Nuffic, a Dutch non-profit organisation for internationalisation in education. It offers funding for long-term, demand-driven partnerships between Dutch knowledge institutions and organisations in 19 participating countries, as well as individual scholarships and Tailor-Made Trainings in all 53 selected countries. The € 195-m, five-year programme ends mid-2022, enabling tens of thousands to change their future. From the Dutch development cooperation policy, 4 priority themes have been selected on which to focus in the programme: Food and Nutrition Security; Water, Energy and Climate; Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; and Security and Rule of Law. Cross-cutting themes in this programme are inclusion, employability and environmental sustainability.
Read more about the project
MSM strengthens its project activities in the Middle East
