TAM Report / Jordan - joint degrees

GENERAL INFORMATION

TAM title: Virtual Seminar on Joint Degrees and the EU Experience

Type of Event: Webinar

Modality: Online

Country: Jordan

Dates: 20 & 21 October 2024

Participants: The TAM gathered 55 participants from 22 organisations, including representatives from 13 Jordanian HEIs (public and private), the Ministry of Higher Education, the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission (AQACHEI), the Vocational Training Corporation, two HEREs, three NEO staff members, and one EU expert. Participants included academics, university management staff, and higher education policymakers.

THEMES COVERED

• Definitions and key concepts of joint, double and multiple degree programmes
• Success factors for designing and running joint degree programmes
• Challenges in implementation (legal, institutional, accreditation, operational)
• Case studies from Europe and Jordan
• Partner selection and international collaboration
• Funding, sustainability and mobility opportunities (including Erasmus Mundus Design Measures)
• Strategic planning and roadmap development for joint programmes
• Future prospects of joint degrees in Jordanian higher education

KEY OUTCOMES

During the workshop, participants:

• Improved their understanding of joint degree frameworks, terminology, and implementation models.
• Gained insight into European best practices and challenges, and how these compare to the Jordanian context.
• Identified regulatory and accreditation obstacles that must be addressed before joint degrees can be implemented effectively in Jordan.
• Reflected on institutional motivations such as international visibility, mobility opportunities, and partnerships.
• Enhanced their awareness of funding limitations and the need for additional financial mechanisms beyond Erasmus+ ICM.
• Expressed a clear interest in further training, national working groups and follow-up workshops to deepen knowledge and support implementation.

OVERVIEW

The Virtual Seminar on Joint Degrees and EU Experience aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of joint, double and multiple degree programmes by clarifying definitions, formats, success factors, and implementation models.

Day 1 introduced European practices and case studies, including examples from both EU institutions and the German Jordanian University. Discussions explored motivations for developing joint degrees, structural components of such programmes, and challenges universities face when initiating international collaborations.

Day 2 focused on identifying strategies for implementation in Jordan, formulating recommendations, and analysing enabling conditions such as legal frameworks, accreditation processes, partner selection, funding mechanisms and operational logistics. A panel discussion with Jordanian and European representatives allowed for a deeper reflection on the future of joint degrees in the Jordanian higher education landscape.

THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY

Title of the activity: Joint Programs: A Roadmap for Jordanian HEIs

Dates: 22 December 2024

Audience: A total of 49 participants from 26 organisations attended, including 36 representatives from 16 Jordanian universities (public and private), participants from the Ministry of Education, AQACHEI, schools, NGOs, the Vocational Training Corporation, two HEREs, and three NEO staff members. Together, they represented the key national stakeholders involved in advancing joint degree initiatives in Jordan.

Description: The follow-up activity consisted of an online webinar designed to deepen understanding of joint degree programmes among Jordanian higher education institutions. It presented the benefits, challenges, and operational frameworks for establishing joint programmes, drawing on examples and experiences from the EU. The webinar offered practical guidance and highlighted success factors, while an interactive Q&A allowed participants to discuss institutional barriers, local needs, and potential next steps. The session aimed to equip HEIs with a clearer roadmap for engaging in international joint programme development.

ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS

• Review and adapt national legal and accreditation frameworks to support joint, double and multiple degree programmes, including recognition of foreign study periods and collaborative curriculum design.
• Establish a national working group or task force to plan, coordinate and guide joint programme development in Jordan.
• Identify priority subject areas and institutional strengths to form the basis for pilot joint programmes with international partners.
• Strengthen partner search strategies, using existing collaborations and international networks to build sustainable partnerships.
• Develop funding mechanisms to support mobility and ensure programme sustainability beyond externally funded cycles.
• Enhance institutional cooperation and information sharing, including national platforms, annual events, and awareness-raising activities to disseminate TAM outcomes.

RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL

• Universität Graz (2024) Arqus Joint Master’s Programme European Studies – Information sheet. Graz: Universität Graz. Available at: https://static.uni-graz.at/fileadmin/projekte/jointdegree/Pelp/AJP_ES_Info_all_2024.pdf

• European Joint Programmes (n.d.) Joint Programmes. Available at: https://www.jointdegree.eu/en (Accessed: 6 December 2025).

• Arqus European University Alliance (n.d.) Home — Arqus Alliance. Available at: https://arqus-alliance.eu/
• European Commission (n.d.) Erasmus+ Programme Guide – Part D: Glossary Higher Education. Available at: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-higher-education