sargon
July 23rd, 2007, 05:26 PM
08 July 2007 AMMAN -- Construction work on Aqaba's first university is expected to begin by the middle of next year and will include a specialised hotel and tourism college, according to the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC).
The university, to be built on an area of 400 dunums on the Red Sea resort's southern shore, will consist of five specialist colleges: The college of hotel and tourism, transport and logistics, information and communication technology, fine arts, and business administration.
"Construction work will start on the college of hotel and tourism, which will offer onsite and practical training to turn out skilled graduates to meet the surging demand for skilled labour, especially in light of the expected increase in tourism facilities in Aqaba," business planning specialist Hamza Haj Hasan at the ADCADC said on Thursday.
The cost of the hotel and tourism college and its administration buildings is estimated at JD30-35 million, said Haj Hassan, adding that the ADCADC has put up JD5 million and is in touch with interested investors.
A statement received by The Jordan Times indicated that investors and strategic partners had already been approached by ADCADC, in coordination with Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) to invest in a shareholding company that will own the university.
The rapid growth of tourism in Aqaba is estimated to add 7,400 new four- and five-star hotel rooms to the resort city's hospitality facilities over the next five years. Such growth will require thousands of skilled employees to plan, build, manage and operate these facilities -- a resource that is currently lacking in Aqaba, the statement read.
"A total of 11,000 new jobs are expected to be created in Aqaba as a result of the increase in tourism activities. World class training and practical experience is needed to turn students into 'key players' in strengthening Jordan's ability to compete in a rapidly changing and highly competitive global marketplace,' USAID acting deputy mission director, Brooke Isham, said at a ceremony held in Aqaba last week to launch a strategy to develop the university.
The development of the university will fulfill education and training needs in growing sectors such as tourism and transport management, she said.
The strategy to develop the university and the tourism college, in particular, was launched last week in Aqaba where a memo was also signed between ASEZA, the ADCADC and USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project (Siyaha) to cooperate in the planning and development of the university.
ASEZA Chief Commissioner Nader Dahabi said the creation of the university represents a milestone in the zone's development process and would greatly contribute to ASEZ's success and to the quality of life in Aqaba.
"The establishment of the University of Aqaba, a unique university integrating the best global experiences in high quality education, will be of exceptional significance as it marks the first step toward providing the zone with an educational centre that will immensely serve as an intellectual, cultural and educational enabler for the community of Aqaba and the region as a whole," Dahabi said.
Educational partners will include international universities in the US, Canada and Europe that are capable of working with the college to support it as it seeks to become a world class "Centre of Excellence", according to the statement.
Commenting on the development of the university, Imad Fakhoury, chairman and CEO of ADCADC said: "From the outset, ADCADC adopted a three-pillar investment strategy with education, tourism and trade serving as the interlinked supporting structure for development in the zone and today, ADCADC embarks on a key educational project that shall propel the wheels of development to new heights."
Technical support for the project will be provided by USAID/Siyaha, including the development of a business and operation plan, a quality assurance manual, conceptual designs and planning.
The university, to be built on an area of 400 dunums on the Red Sea resort's southern shore, will consist of five specialist colleges: The college of hotel and tourism, transport and logistics, information and communication technology, fine arts, and business administration.
"Construction work will start on the college of hotel and tourism, which will offer onsite and practical training to turn out skilled graduates to meet the surging demand for skilled labour, especially in light of the expected increase in tourism facilities in Aqaba," business planning specialist Hamza Haj Hasan at the ADCADC said on Thursday.
The cost of the hotel and tourism college and its administration buildings is estimated at JD30-35 million, said Haj Hassan, adding that the ADCADC has put up JD5 million and is in touch with interested investors.
A statement received by The Jordan Times indicated that investors and strategic partners had already been approached by ADCADC, in coordination with Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) to invest in a shareholding company that will own the university.
The rapid growth of tourism in Aqaba is estimated to add 7,400 new four- and five-star hotel rooms to the resort city's hospitality facilities over the next five years. Such growth will require thousands of skilled employees to plan, build, manage and operate these facilities -- a resource that is currently lacking in Aqaba, the statement read.
"A total of 11,000 new jobs are expected to be created in Aqaba as a result of the increase in tourism activities. World class training and practical experience is needed to turn students into 'key players' in strengthening Jordan's ability to compete in a rapidly changing and highly competitive global marketplace,' USAID acting deputy mission director, Brooke Isham, said at a ceremony held in Aqaba last week to launch a strategy to develop the university.
The development of the university will fulfill education and training needs in growing sectors such as tourism and transport management, she said.
The strategy to develop the university and the tourism college, in particular, was launched last week in Aqaba where a memo was also signed between ASEZA, the ADCADC and USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project (Siyaha) to cooperate in the planning and development of the university.
ASEZA Chief Commissioner Nader Dahabi said the creation of the university represents a milestone in the zone's development process and would greatly contribute to ASEZ's success and to the quality of life in Aqaba.
"The establishment of the University of Aqaba, a unique university integrating the best global experiences in high quality education, will be of exceptional significance as it marks the first step toward providing the zone with an educational centre that will immensely serve as an intellectual, cultural and educational enabler for the community of Aqaba and the region as a whole," Dahabi said.
Educational partners will include international universities in the US, Canada and Europe that are capable of working with the college to support it as it seeks to become a world class "Centre of Excellence", according to the statement.
Commenting on the development of the university, Imad Fakhoury, chairman and CEO of ADCADC said: "From the outset, ADCADC adopted a three-pillar investment strategy with education, tourism and trade serving as the interlinked supporting structure for development in the zone and today, ADCADC embarks on a key educational project that shall propel the wheels of development to new heights."
Technical support for the project will be provided by USAID/Siyaha, including the development of a business and operation plan, a quality assurance manual, conceptual designs and planning.