jordan pulse -

Middle East University (MEU) received Dr. Christina Schwepenland, director of the hosted PhD program at the University of Bedfordshire, as part of the executive plan for the “Darabuna” project — a British Council–funded initiative implemented in partnership between the two universities to empower Jordanian female academics and strengthen their leadership presence in higher education institutions.

The visit comes within an ongoing framework of academic cooperation between the universities, which share a strategic partnership covering hosted programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. This partnership reinforces academic integration and promotes the exchange of research and educational expertise in line with British quality standards.

During her meeting with MEU President Prof. Salam Mahadin, discussions covered the progress of the “Darabuna” project, updates on the hosted British PhD program, and mechanisms to enhance joint research collaboration to further empower researchers and expand international academic partnerships.

Dr. Schwepenland also met with local PhD supervisors to review academic and procedural updates, discuss supervision policies, and explore ways to enhance research quality and alignment with international standards.

The visit included the launch of the mentoring program — a core component of “Darabuna” — led by Dr. Ghadeer Khafash, a graduate of the hosted PhD program. The initiative aims to build a sustainable academic and professional support network among doctoral graduates and candidates, facilitating knowledge exchange and overcoming research and career challenges.

The visit concluded with a research retreat attended by a group of scholars, who worked on their projects under Dr. Schwepenland’s direct supervision. She provided in-depth academic guidance and specialized feedback to enhance research quality and expand MEU’s international scholarly publication output.