Madaba, February 2 (Petra) – Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal on Monday patronises the launch of the PhD programme in Social Work at the German Jordanian University (GJU) Princess Basma said the programme responds to an urgent need for improved approaches to development, noting that social work institutions face growing pressures from conflict, displacement, poverty, inequality, climate challenges and rapid demographic change, often with limited resources.
She added that development efforts are frequently shaped by short-term projects and external models that fail to reflect lived realities. The new doctoral programme, she said, offers a practical research framework that connects academic study with real institutions and communities.
Drawing on her experience at the Juhd Centre, Princess Basma said that sustainable change depends on listening, learning and institutional self-reflection.
She discussed the role of communities as active partners in development and said the program would help translate community knowledge into responsive policies and effective social systems.
Princess Basma congratulated GJU and its partners on launching the programme, expressing confidence in the programme's contribution to social work and institutional development.
GJU President Alaa Halhouli said the programme, developed in partnership with Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, aligns with Jordan's Economic Modernisation Vision and responds to 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 said 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.
//Petra// AK
