Amman:A strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday between the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) and the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j) to foster collaboration under the "TechForward" initiative.
According to Jordan News Agency, the MoU is designed to link industrial facilities with universities and students, aiming to transform operational challenges into innovative digital solutions. This agreement was formalized during a panel discussion titled "Technology Serving Industry," marking a significant move towards implementing the initiative spearheaded by int@j, supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) through the I-PSD project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply.
Ishaq Arabiyat, JCI Acting Director General, highlighted the initiative as a practical step to bridge the gap between the industrial sector and young academic talent. He noted that addressing challenges through technological innovation can accelerate digital transformation and boost the competitiveness of Jordan's national industry. Arabiyat urged industrial facilities to engage with the initiative by presenting the challenges they face.
The initiative operates on a tripartite partnership model involving industrial facilities, universities, and students. Facilities present their operational, technical, or administrative challenges, while IT students from Jordanian universities develop practical solutions, often as part of their graduation projects under academic supervision.
Nidal Bitar, CEO of Intaj, announced that the second edition of the initiative is planned for the 2026/2027 academic year, building on the success of the first cycle. In the initial phase, 17 universities and 67 companies participated, addressing 96 real-world challenges and resulting in 60 technical graduation projects for 35 companies. Bitar emphasized the need to expand the initiative's reach and capitalize on its results.
Jaafar Shahabat, the initiative's director, presented its objectives, operational mechanisms, and implementation stages, outlining the opportunities it offers to industrial enterprises. These include developing digital solutions tailored to specific needs, such as process automation, artificial intelligence applications, the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics, all without incurring software development costs.
Furthermore, the initiative provides a platform for recruiting and evaluating young technical talent, preparing them to enter the labor market.