AMMAN — Graduation projects have become the most effective foundation for linking universities with the private sector and narrowing the long-standing gap between educational outputs and industry needs, CEO of the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Int@j) Nidal Bitar said.

 

According to an association statement issued on Thursday, Bitar noted that around 4,000 graduation projects are produced annually by IT faculties, at least 10 per cent of which could be transformed into impactful economic solutions if restructured in direct cooperation with companies, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

Speaking at the “Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry in Jordan” conference, organised by the Higher Council for Science and Technology with support from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Bitar said that focusing on graduation projects is a proven and effective path, as demonstrated by international experience.

 

He highlighted that Int@j is currently implementing the “Tech Forward” initiative, designed to connect students, professors and the private sector within a “golden triangle” framework to help convert academic projects into commercially viable models.

 

Bitar identified five key challenges that are still hindering alignment between education and labour-market needs.

 

These challenges are related to limited practical skills, slow curriculum updates, weak linkage between scientific research and industry where research often remains detached from private-sector needs, lack of structured cooperation between universities and companies, and persistent gaps in soft skills, including communication, teamwork and time management.

 

He stressed that treating graduation projects as a genuine bridge between students and the labour market is the real starting point for narrowing the academic–industry divide, noting that sustained commitment to this approach will determine Jordan’s ability to build a competitive technological workforce for regional and global markets.