Rawabit: The U.S.-Jordanian University Cooperation Network

Through the Rawabit project, the University Cooperation Network’s (UCN) participating Jordanian and U.S. universities seek to improve their institutional capacity, internal funding, and risk management to undertake serious collaborative reforms guided by U.S. and global best practices in these areas. Universities and affiliated scholars and researchers in both countries can benefit from an open and transparent atmosphere of information and peer-to-peer collegiality.

The overarching goal of Rawabit is to formalize and institutionalize the UCN’s operations in support of intensified cooperation around higher and postsecondary education with a special focus on ensuring better job opportunities and economic outcomes for targeted populations of university students in Jordan especially young woman.

The Rawabit Project of the United States-Jordan University Cooperation Network (UCN) offers two categories of small grants:

1- Travel Grants (funding up to $5,000; up to five grants will be awarded in 2023).

2- Partnership Development Grants ($5,000-$10,000 for teams; up to five will be awarded in 2023).

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A- Background:

• In 2016, a team led by the Eurasia Foundation and funded by the U.S. Embassy in Jordan assessed US-Jordan university partnerships. Key findings of the assessment established that there were few sustained partnerships; those that existed were mostly unidirectional (Jordan to US); and there was a weak infrastructure to support existing and potential linkages.
• As a result of that assessment, the U.S. Embassy in Jordan funded the initial phase of the University Cooperation Network (2018-2021) with two hubs at Virginia Tech and University of Jordan. Under this project, an informal network was established with about ten universities in the U.S. and ten in Jordan.
• After funding for that project concluded, in 2022 NEA funded the PULSE (Partnerships for University Leadership and Student Engagement) project, with a hub at the University of Jordan, culminating in a July 2022 conference on paths forward and partnership grants. PULSE was the bridge between the original UCN and the new UCN to be housed at the Fulbright Jordan Commission.

B- Objectives:

• Institutionalization and formalization of the University Cooperation Network (UCN) to build on current and potential relationships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the United States and Jordan.
• Increase capacity within Jordanian HEIs to embrace and adapt U.S. best practices and prepare students for employment in expanding sectors of Jordan’s economy.
• Enable HEIs in Jordan to offer curricular and co-curricular programs that incorporate the demands of the private sector and workforce needs to prepare students for employment in vital and growing sectors of Jordan’s economy.

C- How to Apply for Rawabit Grants:  

Currently, we are not accepting full applications, but we are accepting pre-applications for partnership development grants only (please refer to section E- Additional Guidance below ). We anticipate the next cycle of applications will open on September 15, 2023. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to receiving your application then.

^{Grant Priority Areas:}

The most competitive grant proposals will focus on one of these three areas:

1. Bolstering and supporting female faculty and staff at Jordanian HEI’s, such as partnership proposals that seek to increase numbers of female faculty/staff, focus on retention, and/or help women advance into leadership positions at their institutions of higher learning.

2. The development of new or improved curriculum offerings at Jordanian HEIs to better prepare Jordanian students to meet contemporary market needs and emerging areas of economic development after the collaboration with U.S. counterparts.

3. Partnerships that address regional, national, and/or local development objectives through or with higher education institutions. The partnership must include at least one higher education institution, as a partner. Other partners could include the private sector, NGOs, research institutions, governments, or a USAID mission.

1. Travel Grants: ‍

Travel Grant proposals can be submitted by one or more individuals from either country.

Applications (350 words maximum) should include a description of proposed travel, with an explanation of the purposes of travel and how it will contribute to the development of U.S.-Jordan partnerships, new university linkages, or exchange opportunities. If funding is for travel to an academic conference, please provide the dates, name and location of the event or conference, and indicate whether the applicants have already been accepted for inclusion in the conference program. It is also essential to clarify how participation in that conference would support binational academic partnership development. Each applicant should include a brief (1-2 pages maximum) CV or resume.

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2. Partnership Development Grants:

Partnership Development Grant proposals must be submitted by a binational team, with one co-lead or co-PI (principal investigator) from each country.

Applications (750 words maximum) should include a brief (1-2 pages maximum) CV or resume for each applicant or co-PI in addition to the proposal. Each proposal should include 3 sections:

1. Summary of the proposed partnership project (250 words maximum), with discussion of how the team has been formed, previous cooperation, and plans to involve other faculty, researchers and students.

2. Significance of the proposed partnership project (250 words), and relevance to mutually beneficial development objectives (with discussion of how the project could impact policy, applied research, or student learning).

3. Plans for sustainability (250 words): how do the co-PIs plan to expand and sustain their partnership? Please list specific follow-on funding, with deadlines and amounts, that each team will pursue, along with other plans to sustain and develop the partnership.

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D- Other Funding/Partnership Opportunities:

Calling all Jordanian International Relations Officers and faculty members!

We are pleased to present a remarkable opportunity for you to take part in an important international education conference in the United States. As Rawabit members, you are eligible to apply for a special “Imtidad” travel grant of up to $5,000 for you to present at the conference below.

NAFSA Annual Conference, the deadline for proposal is August 30.

If you are interested in presenting a paper that focuses the topics of expanding student and scholarly mobility, or scholarly cooperation and partnerships between the United States and Jordan, then you are eligible to apply for funding by completing this form. You may submit this form at any time, but only those whose proposals are accepted for presentation at the conference will be considered.

Rawabit also has access to a U.S. student mobility expert, Dr. John Sunnygard, who is willing to be a co-presenter with a Jordanian colleague at  the conference. If you are interested in getting in touch with Dr. Sunnygard to discuss the possibility of co-presenting, please contact Rawabit Project Officer, Aya Shurafa, at: rawabit@fulbright.org.jo.

E- Additional Guidance:  

For any questions you can:

1- Email our team at: rawabit.po@fulbright.org.jo.

2- Call our team at: +962-6-592-2088 or +962-6-592-2188 (EXT. 27)

3- Enhance your Partnership Development Grant Proposal with a Pre-submission Review

Our experienced Rawabit team is here to provide you with a thorough assessment and constructive feedback, tailored to meet the necessary grant standards. By requesting a pre-submission review, you can expect feedback to assure that the proposal aligns with the Rawabit project indicators and goals to increase your chances of success in the competition.

To request a proposal review, complete the pre-application here and our team will be in touch with you as soon as possible.

''Please note that this is only available for partnership development grants. Due to the large number of travel grants, we cannot provide pre-review for travel grant applications.’’

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_Disclaimer:

^{This media product is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Department of State. The contents are the responsibility of the Fulbright Commission in Jordan and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of State or the United States Government.}

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