Amman: Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal on Monday patronised the launch of the PhD programme in Social Work at the German Jordanian University (GJU). Princess Basma highlighted the urgent need for improved approaches to development, acknowledging the pressures faced by social work institutions due to conflict, displacement, poverty, inequality, climate challenges, and rapid demographic change, often with limited resources.
According to Jordan News Agency, Princess Basma emphasized that development efforts are often influenced by short-term projects and external models that do not accurately reflect lived realities. She noted that the new doctoral programme offers a practical research framework that connects academic study with real institutions and communities. Drawing on her experience at the Juhd Centre, she underscored that sustainable change relies on listening, learning, and institutional self-reflection. She discussed the role of communities as active partners in development and said the programme would help translate community knowledge into responsive policies and effective social systems.
Princess Basma congratulated GJU and its partners on launching the programme and expressed confidence in its contribution to social work and institutional development. GJU President Alaa Halhouli stated that the programme, developed in partnership with Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, aligns with Jordan's Economic Modernisation Vision and meets the growing demand for highly qualified social work specialists. He noted that it is the first PhD programme in social work in Jordan.
Dean of the School of Applied Humanities and Social Sciences Haitham Thawabieh described the programme as a model of advanced academic cooperation. Vice-Rector of Hamburg University of Applied Sciences Peter Wolf stated that the partnership reflects successful international collaboration in higher education with lasting societal impact. The programme combines applied research with advanced academic training, focusing on contemporary social and transnational challenges and supporting evidence-based policymaking.
The ceremony included academic presentations and a panel discussion on the role of joint research and international cooperation in addressing social challenges.