UNIREF JORDAN - UniRef

UniRef started implementing its mission since 2018 in partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Jordan Red Crescent. Academic programs began in 2020 after the creation of specialized curriculums dedicated to the Syrian refugee population in Jordan as well as the citizens of the Kingdom of Jordan.

Despite the current pandemic situation, UniRef alongside the Jordan Red Crescent has worked relentlessly to achieve our goal.

Our mission will provide professional trainings in order to foster the refugee population’s access to the labor market and, eventually, lift themselves and their family out of poverty.
UniRef’s objective is to give their students the necessary tools for them to fulfill their academic and professional potential.

Since 2018, UniRef has been working alongside the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Jordanian Red Crescent (JRC), the University of Jordan and Harvard University (USA) on the implementation of the mission.

Background UniRef in Jordan: In Brief

UniRef in collaboration with the Jordanian Ref Cross (JRC) & International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) works on providing higher educational and vocational training programs to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Jordanian citizens who cannot pursue studies due to financial reasons. The classes are taught in the field of Information Technology, Agriculture, Healthcare and Mobile maintenance. Upon completion of the program, students receive a diploma from the University of Jordan, recognized by the Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education.

Goals

To provide substantial training to students in the field of Information Technology, Agriculture and Healthcare as they are major income-generating industries in Jordan.
To integrate refugees into the labor market.
To help refugees become staff-reliant and lead to a decent and dignified life in the host country.

Our program

UniRef in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ( IFRC) and the Jordanian Red Crescent ( JRC).

Our local partner, his excellency Dr. Al-Hadid, has provided the JRC facility where the previous educational program was held. with the goal of providing access to information and communication technologies to people who do not have them. Today, many young people face finding decent, dignified, and fulfilling employment. In spite of the strong worldwide progression of new information and communication technologies, these young people sometimes encounter difficulties in handling a computer because they have not received basic computer knowledge;

In 2020, around 5000 students applied to participate in our pilot program. In November 2020, a total of 100 students received a diploma and the program enabled them to develop skills to integrate the formal labor market in Jordan.To meet the demand of our programs, we actively seek partnerships and collaborations with organizations and stakeholders that share our objectives and values. We also need donations to be able to offer these courses to all those in need.

UniRef implemented a new program in January 2023. We provide a fast-track course in Computer Science. This courses addressed to young Syrian refugees in Jordan and jordanian underprivileged youth is provided by an Ivy League university and leads to a professional certificate that will allow the graduates to integrate into the local formal labor market.

The teaching method is hybrid : in UniRef’s classrooms the students have access to computers and follow the online courses with the university’s teachers while being assisted by onsite tutors. The courses are spread over a year and consist of 3 independent units at different learning levels.

As per UNHCR, 83% of Syrian refugees live outside camps in Jordan while among UniRef’s students 75% are Syrian urban refugees. The remaining 25% of UniRef’s students are Jordanian young people who cannot pursue their studies for financial reasons. Including these students from the host community contributes to promoting better integration of refugees cultural mixing and social relationships among things.

In 2023, more than 3000 young students wanted to follow our IT training course. However, as things stand, we will only be able to satisfy 300 of these requests by the end of 2023.

The current mission of UniRef in Jordan aims to provide free access to higher education and professional vocational training to 5’000 students between 2021-2026.

In 2023 among UniRef’s students, 88% are Syrian urban refugees. Indeed, about 80% of all Syrian refugees are living in urban areas in Jordan and, therefore, are outside of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

The remaining 12% of UniRef’s students are Jordanian students who cannot pursue their studies for financial reasons. Including these students from the host community contributes to promoting better integration of refugees, cultural mixing and social relationships among other things.

All UniRef’s students have finished their secondary education and their distribution is close to parity between women and men.

Following a study of the Jordanian labor market conducted by UniRef, the Jordan Red Crescent (JRC) and the representatives of the University of Jordan, it has been concluded that the three most important development areas of Jordan are: Healthcare, Agribusiness and Information Technology (IT). Indeed, Jordan has an advanced healthcare system and agriculture is one of the main sources of national growth. Finally, the Jordanian IT industry generates more than $1.18 billions of income per year which represents 13.5% of the GDP of the country.

UniRef, alongside its institutional and academic partners, has decided to create fast-track (1 year) curricula in these three key sectors. In this regard, UniRef’s diploma are relevant vis-à-vis the Jordanian labour market.

Background UniRef in Jordan: In Brief

Goals

Our program

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