Entitled "Enhancing Quality of Technology-Enhanced Learning at Jordanian Universities", the project is part of a European initiative based on good-neighbour policy aimed at developing collaboration with countries neighbouring, but not a part of, the EU, such as countries in North Africa and the Near East.

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) hosted the kick-off meeting at Barcelona's MediaTIC building. Vice-President for Strategic Planning and Research Marta Aymerich, Director of International Development John Zvereff, and Director of the eLearn Center Christine Appel opened the meeting, which also was attended by figures such as the Secretary General of the Association of Arab Universities Sultan, Abu Orabi, and a Vice-President of the University of Jordan.

At the request of the Jordanian institutions, the UOC presented the project to the Tempus programme of the European Commission, and the work has finally been selected to be carried out under the leadership of Professor Christine Appel, for whom the news represents proof that "the university has become an international benchmark in the field of eLearning".

European partners

As well as the UOC, which will be responsible for the general coordination, the other European partners in the initiative are Finland's University of Turku and Italy's Marconi University, along with the Quality Agency of the Catalan University System and the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA).

There are also Jordanian project partners. The work will be carried out primarily at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology, where a large part of the effort with regard to the identification of standards will be done, although experts from the European coordination team will be making study visits and travelling to Jordan to develop blended online and onsite teaching courses in the areas of economics and IT.