Amman, June 25, 2012—AMIDEAST celebrated its move to a new headquarters for its Jordan operations today. Located in the heart of Amman, the spacious, modern facility will enable AMIDEAST’s Jordan country office to better serve the country’s growing need for a broad range of educational and training services.

Jordanian and international representatives from government, higher education, and the private sector joined AMIDEAST staff to celebrate the move and welcome Ms. Dana Shuqom, who recently became AMIDEAST’s country director for Jordan.

“Our move into larger quarters is part of a process that has been underway for several years to expand our educational and training services in Jordan,” AMIDEAST President and CEO Theodore H. Kattouf told the gathering. “This new facility will enable us to serve more people, more effectively as we strive to expand opportunities and change lives for the country’s young people.  We are particularly excited about prospects for expanding programs in workforce development and English language acquisition.  This is an important moment in our continuous commitment to serving Jordan and its people since 1958.”

Students in AMIDEAST’s study abroad and intensive Arabic programs will also benefit from the new facility’s classroom space.

His remarks were echoed by Ms. Shuqom: “AMIIDEAST/Jordan will continue, as it has for over half a century, to touch the lives of Jordanians by assisting them in building better futures for themselves, and to strengthen ties between Americans and Jordanians. Valuable partnerships with the governments of Jordan and the United States and support from other donors and friends will allow us to utilize our new facility, our accumulated knowledge and experience, and the efforts of our devoted staff to continue to bridge cultures and serve Jordanians."

AMIDEAST’s move to larger quarters takes place alongside an expansion of its Jordan activities in new directions. This summer, with support from the GE Foundation, AMIDEAST is piloting its new Professional Certificate for English Language Teachers (PCELT) program in six countries, including Jordan, prior to introducing it region-wide.  A total of 24 teachers of English in Jordanian schools are expected to take the pilot program.
Also of note, following an agreement with Jordan’s Ministry of Higher Education and test developer ETS, AMIDEAST is now the sole provider of the TOEFL® ITP  in Jordan, where it is required for admission into graduate school in Jordan.
AMIDEAST’s 54-year presence in Jordan has helped it become well-known in the country. It is associated with academic and scholarship opportunities such as the prestigious Fulbright Foreign Student Program, which it assists in administering on behalf of the U.S. Department of State in partnership with the Binational Fulbright Commission in Jordan, and the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, a U.S. Department of State exchange initiative for high school students. In addition, AMIDEAST administered the Royal Palace of Jordan Scholarship Program for 30 years.

Since 2004, AMIDEAST has also administered the U.S. Department of State-funded English Access Microscholarship Program, which has provided English language, communication, basic computer, and other skills training to nearly 2,000 Jordanian high-school students from non-elite backgrounds to date.

For many years, AMIDEAST has offered opportunities for Americans to study and live in Jordan, including its own semester abroad and intensive summer Arabic programs that enables undergraduate students to earn college credit for Arabic language study and coursework that broadens their understanding of Jordan and the region.

About AMIDEAST
America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc., or AMIDEAST (www.amideast.org), is an American nonprofit organization engaged in international education, training, and development assistance. Working with international, regional, and local partners, AMIDEAST provides programs and services to improve educational opportunities and quality, strengthen local institutions, and develop language and professional skills for success in the global economy. AMIDEAST is deeply committed to strengthening mutual understanding between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa. Founded in 1951, AMIDEAST is headquartered in Washington DC, with a network of field offices in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.

Media Contacts
In Jordan:
Dana Shuqom, Country Director                          
Tel. +962.6.581.0930
Email: Jordan@amideast.org

In the U.S.:
Media Relations
Tel. +202.776.9612
Email: news@amideast.org