The Language and Culture Partner Program

 Program Overview

The Language and Culture Partner Program (LCPP) is an initiative supervised by a volunteer team from the administrative board at the Language Center. Its goal is to promote a culture of volunteerism among young people by enhancing Arabic language skills for speakers of other languages and introducing them to Arab-Islamic culture in general and Jordanian culture in particular. The program aims to implement pioneering and innovative projects that provide opportunities for cultural and social integration for international students within Jordanian society. This program enables members to share experiences and develop communication and leadership skills through participation in social and cultural activities and through conversations and experiences that may not be easily addressed within the classroom setting.

 Vision

The LCPP fosters openness to others and showcases Jordan’s civilizational, cultural, and linguistic heritage internationally through volunteering and partnering with international students through innovative projects and immersive cultural experiences.

 Mission

The LCPP introduces international students to Jordanian culture and society by building bridges of language and cultural communication, strengthening youth volunteerism, and fostering responsibility in serving Arabic language and culture. 

Objectives of the Language Partner Program

1. Emphasize volunteer work in Jordan and increase participation among university students, reinforcing their sense of belonging and identity with their universities, society, homeland, and the Arab nation.
2. Enhance the language knowledge of international partners by developing their language skills, both verbal and non-verbal.
3. Achieve a better understanding of language and cultural contexts in Jordanian society by engaging international students in language immersion programs, clubs, and extracurricular activities.
4. Promote a culture of volunteerism among Jordanian youth, highlighting the role of the Arabic language and culture in the sustainable development of society.
5. Highlight the rich cultural and historical heritage of Jordanian society on an international level to attract students to study Arabic in Jordan.
6. Integrate foreign students into the academic, social, and cultural environment of Irbid by helping them overcome challenges, facilitating their language acquisition, and boosting their confidence.
7. Provide a safe and supportive environment for foreign partners to form diverse international partnerships and build joint projects through volunteer efforts and assistance from Jordanian partners.
8. Highlight the psychological, social, cultural, and linguistic impact and benefits of partnering with Jordanian programs.
9. Promote values of dialogue, understanding, and respect for cultures across national and cultural lines.
10. Develop participants’ skills and talents with an enhanced sense of duty and responsibility to Jordanian and foreign partners.

 Beneficiaries and Target Groups in the Volunteer Program

• International students who learn Arabic as a foreign language. International students require support to learn about the Arabic language and culture, given their geographical and cultural distance from Jordan. The program focuses on students from Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe. The Language and Cultural Partner Program allows these students to register for free. Participants in this group are divided into two groups:
  • International partners studying at the Language Center at Yarmouk University, in the preparatory language year, in language courses, and in the annual language program.
  • International partners studying at Yarmouk University, outside the preparatory year.
• Jordanian students who are partners in the program. Jordanian partner students are usually enrolled in public universities. Many students need engaging cultural experiences to help them open up to, learn about, and respect other cultures. They also benefit from volunteer experiences in an official, trusted program like the Language and Cultural Partner Program, localized in the Arabic Program for Speakers of Other Languages. These students will obtain an official certificate that supports their academic journey if they wish to complete postgraduate studies at an institute of higher education in a Western country. The program will certify their volunteer experience, which will benefit students in their job search. Participants in this group include students currently enrolled in Jordanian and Arab universities.
• Volunteers from other groups who provide financial, administrative, logistical, psychological, and social support. The volunteer group includes the Language and Cultural Partner Program’s administrative team, volunteer professors from The Arabic Program for Speakers of Other Languages, supervisors of clubs and those active in volunteer work, professors from different faculties (such as Tourism, Sharia), administrative staff members from Yarmouk University and its administrative departments, and students who are not currently enrolled at Yarmouk University.

 Leadership Team of the Program

• Team Leader: Professor Rana Hassan Qandeel
• Program Coordinator: Safaa Al-Sharida
• Program Supervisor: Hani Dheeb
• Technical, Logistical, and Documentation Support Supervisor: Maysoon Al-Waqfi
• Program Administrator: Walaa Shamiakh

 Program Activities

In addition to the individual activities carried out by partners within or outside the university, there are additional group activities. These activities are provided by clubs under the supervision of specialists at the Language Center. Clubs include:

• Trip Club
• Horse Riding Club
• Handicrafts and Painting Club
• Folklore, Music, and Folk Dance Club
• Literary, Cultural, and Film Club
• Content Creation Club
• Cooking Club

Additional group activities are implemented in the program’s second phase. Activities inside the university include:

• Cooking in the university kitchen.
• Visiting the College of Fine Arts.
• Visiting the University Museum.
• Attending a screening of the film “A’arar: The Poet Man” at the Hussaynia Library.
• Attending a performance of the play “Raise Your Voice.”
• Participation in the free medical day sponsored by the College of Nursing.

Activities outside the university include:

• Visits to the traditional houses of Irbid.
• Visits to the Irbid Cultural Center.

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