Four graduates – Wisam Abukhalaf, Sabah A. M. Harahsheh, Abdalla Fuad Mohammad Al Khub and Najwa Ashal – were presented with their degree certificates by Professor Rebecca Bunting, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, who travelled to Amman to celebrate with the new cohort. The PhDs covered an interesting variety of research topics, including business, pharmaceutics, finance and religion.

Wisam Abukhalaf, a mother of two and the Head of the Greater Amman Municipality’s health department, secured a PhD in Business Administration. After receiving her degree, she said: “My workplace and the deep desire to lead change were my driving force to do a PhD. I believe that postgraduate degrees, particularly from a prestigious university, pave the road towards success and change.”

Professor Bunting commented: “It was wonderful to present our first cohort of MEU PhD students with their degrees. Middle East University offers students from all backgrounds numerous learning opportunities, and their success is further testimony to the strength of our partnership with MEU.”

During her ceremonial address, Professor Salam Al-Mahadin – MEU President – said: “An MEU-Bedfordshire alumnus represents the best of two worlds. Students acquire many soft skills coveted by employers, such as cross-cultural awareness, resilience, independent learning, worldliness and the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds. It is this kind of international experience that sets them apart from their peers and translates into much higher employability.”

After the graduates received their degrees, representatives from both institutions signed an official agreement to extend the academic partnership.

Adrian Dutch, Pro Vice Chancellor for International, said: “We are proud to continue working in partnership with Middle East University, delivering a range of courses at its main campus in Amman. MEU strives to be a diverse institution, accepting people from all cultures and backgrounds, which is reflective of Bedfordshire’s own values and our proud history in delivering education for all.”

Professor Al-Mahadin added: “We are especially happy to have signed an extension of the agreement with the University of Bedfordshire, which will see us continuing to offer their academic programmes on our campus. This is a partnership rooted in common values and aspirations and is a commitment to excellence, as well as servicing the needs of all our stakeholders.”

Following the event, Bridget Brind – the British Ambassador to Jordan – commented on Twitter: “[It was] a joy to attend [the] graduation of brilliant young Masters and PhD students from the joint programme of Middle East University and [the] University of Bedfordshire, and to see [the] signing of [the] agreement to extend their co-operation. Congratulations to all!”

For more information about the University of Bedfordshire’s UK and international partnerships, visit the Centre for Academic Partnerships, and discover PhD opportunities via the Research Graduate School.