Middle East University held a Ramadan Iftar sponsored by the university’s president, Prof. Salam Al-Mahadin, in the presence of the Secretary General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, Her Excellency Eng. Maha Ali, and MP Dr. Tamara Nasereddin, accompanied by a group of prominent female academics and figures.
The purpose of the event, which is funded by the British Council and a partnership between Middle East University and the University of Bedfordshire, was to enhance communication between the female academics participating in the project, which seeks to support women in the higher education sector through mentorship and training programmes and the development of institutional policies that support women’s participation in academia.
During the event, Prof. Al-Mahadin affirmed her pride in women’s leadership models, noting the importance of highlighting inspiring experiences to promote women’s empowerment in academia.
In response, Eng. Ali stressed the need to build strong professional networks to support female academics, while MP Dr. Nasereddin emphasised the importance of continuing to establish policies that promote gender equality of opportunity within higher education institutions.
The Iftar included several introductory sessions on the project, highlighting inspiring female success stories, as well as the launch of the “Sawa – Your Academic Companion for Success” initiative, which aims to support new female academics in their careers. Participants also had the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on ways to develop the project and enhance its impact.
It is noteworthy that the “Darbna” project connects female academics in the university sector with female students and graduates of the PhD programme hosted by the University of Bedfordshire, with the aim of building a supportive academic environment that enhances women’s leadership skills and opens wide horizons for them in the higher education sector and other sectors.