PH Embassy in Jordan Explores Means to Enhance Bilateral Collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education

29 July 2024 – Philippine Ambassador Wilfredo C. Santos, together with the ASEAN Committee in Amman (ACA), made a courtesy call meeting with His Excellency Professor Azmi Mahafzah, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Minister of Education of Jordan on 29 July 2024 to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the field of higher education and other relevant concerns. 

In his remarks, Ambassador Santos reported that there are around 654 Filipino Muslim students in Jordan; majority (77%) of which are enrolled in Mutah University’s Islamic Studies, while the remaining are enrolled in various courses at the World Islamic Sciences and Education (WISE) University, Jerash University, and the University of Jordan. 

 The Ambassador also shared a study done by the Institute of International Education, where the Philippines is shown as the fastest-growing destination for international students from 2020 to 2023. From the 8,000 students who traveled to the Philippines for their postsecondary education in 2020, the Philippines recorded a growth rate of over 225% in 2023 with a total number of over 24,000 inbound students. 

 His Excellency Minister Mahafzah alluded to the huge potential for cooperation between Jordan and each of the ACA Member States. He pointed out the different aspects of bilateral cooperation which could be enhanced such as student exchange programs, academic/scientific research collaborations, development of joint degree programs, diversification of courses in which inbound ASEAN students in Jordan could be enrolled, and increase in direct relationships between Jordan universities and ASEAN universities, among others. 

 Ambassador Santos responded by highlighting the Philippines’ enactment of the Transnational Higher Education Act of 2019 which allows academic franchising, double and joint degree partnership agreements, and twinning arrangements between higher education institutions of Jordan and the Philippines. He said that the Philippines Commission on Higher Education and Jordan’s Minister on Higher Education could enter into a Memorandum of Understanding or an arrangement which could make this possible.

The Ambassador informed the Minister that the Philippine Embassy’s current efforts on bilateral education cooperation is the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of the Philippines and University of Jordan, which is currently under review by both parties. Ambassador Santos conveyed to the Minister  that the Philippine Embassy is looking forward to an increase in the number of MOUs between higher education institutions of the Philippines and Jordan in the future. 

After the meeting, a Token of Appreciation was presented by the ACA Chair and ACA member states to the Minister. Likewise, a Token for each ACA Ambassador was given by the Minister.

The Ambassador was accompanied by Second Secretary and Consul Angeli A. Payumo and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Sheila Marie G. Andales.END

For more information, visit www.ammanpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PHLinJordan/, or https://www.instagram.com/phinjordan/