AMMAN --- October 1, 2014 --- Under the patronage of Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, HE Dr. Amin Mahmoud, the Board of Directors of the Digital Education Initiative Team held its first meeting, at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum (TAGKF).

The Board Chairman, HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, indicated that the initiative is a voluntary one that aims to develop standards for digital education accreditation, which will be submitted to the official concerned authorities in the Kingdom.

The meeting was moderated by President of Al Al-Bayt University Dr. Dia’ Arafah, and was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Higher Education Council, National Accreditation Commission, Scientific Research Support Fund as well as presidents and representatives of public and private universities.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh announced a number of decisions concluded by the participants represented in the formation of a taskforce whose sole task is to develop quality accreditation standards in digital education in the form of a suggestion by a group of experts to be submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education. Such a suggestion is to be based on a checklist of quality standards and indicators as well as the standards for digital education accreditation prepared by the Arab Organization for Quality Assurance in Education (AROQA), which is presided by HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, and whose honorary president is the Secretary General of the League of Arab States.

Meanwhile, the attendees agreed to accredit new standards for universities established independently from the traditional education. This means that the taskforce shall work in parallel with the traditional education and shall not replace, amend or develop it. The taskforce shall provide a report to the General Assembly of the Digital Education Initiative for review before being submitted to the official authorities within three months. In addition, the mission of the taskforces of the Committee and the Board shall be determined under the supervision of a steering entity composed of the Minister of Higher Education, the Minister of Education and HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, as a representative of the business sector.

The participants agreed to form a group of experts headed by Dr. Dia Arafah with the membership of Dr. Mohammed Al-Batsh, Dr. Essam Zabalawi, Dr. Abdullah Al-Zoubi, Dr. Natheer Abu Obeid, Dr. Noman Al-Khatib, Dr. Essam Jalham, Dr. Salem Al-Agtash, Dr. Taleb Al-Sari’ as well as Mr. Salah Abu Osbeh , Mr. Maher Abu Zerr and Ms. Sara Al-Eisawi.

It was also decided to invite both the representative of the Jordanian Universities Network, Dr. Nabil Shawaaqfeh and the representative of the Jordan Education Initiative, Ms. Nermin Al-Nabulsi to join the membership of the taskforce.  

From left: HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, HE Dr. Amin Mahmoud, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Dr. Dia Arafah, President of  Al Albayt University during the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Digital Education Initiative Team.

The first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Digital Education Initiative Team.