Medical Schools in the Middle East are currently suffering from a critical shortage of scientists and academicians holding higher degrees in the various disciplines of basic medical sciences (BMS). For most of these Schools, the requirements for a Bachelor degree in Medicine include the successful completion of three years of intense coursework in BMS, prior to passing through three additional years of patient-oriented, bedside clinical coursework. Thus, iBMS-JO project responds to the needs to graduate students with deep background in BMS. This can be achieved by the establishment the first innovative intercalated BSc (iBSc) programs in BMS. Moreover, Telemedicine Labs (TL) will also be established to support the research activities of students and faculty, as well as providing services to the health care facilities. The establishment of an intercalated BSc (iBSc) programs in BMS is an opportunity for students to learn more about a particular topic, to develop transferable skills and/or participate in a more in-depth research project than previously available as part of a medical degree. This is can be offered after the 3rd or 4th year, which could also include an intercalated year into their standard medical programs, making them a 7-year degree, where an intercalation typically lasts one year. The expected outputs of this program include: n. 6 accredited iBSc programs in BMS, capacity building for the staff (at least 48): a) to design curricula in line with the Bologna process, b) to design and develop inter/multidisciplinary course curricula in clinical nutrition (at least 7 new modules, 120 students/year); and c) to apply innovative and flexible teaching and learning methods. Moreover, TL will provide research facilities for students and staff (n. >40 research project/year), which will support the iBSc programs and function as life-long learning resources and Centres of Excellence in medical education and research.

The economic crisis and pandemic in South Mediterranean and sub-Saharan countries have put the HEIs in a challenge to accommodate for the new requirements of online teaching. The RL4Eng project aims to improve the quality of higher education in third countries and make it more relevant into the today’s digital transformation world through establishing Remote and Virtual Laboratories for Teaching and Training Engineering Students to modernize the current teaching approaches and improve the digital and entrepreneurial capacities of both students and teachers in South Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan HEIs. The project’s contribution to the priorities of the call includes the digital transformation under which digital education is the focus of the project. Online teaching for laboratories has been implemented in EU countries with successful outcomes. The involvement of different European Universities will help integrate good practices and minimise potential risks in implementing the RL4Eng project. South Mediterranean HEIs have identified the necessity of training with numerous initiatives available in the European system. Few Research is available on the effective delivery of remote labs and take-home labs. The project involves several workpackages in efforts made to elevate the knowledge of remote labs and take-home labs in the partners institutions via capacity building for students, staff and faculty and share of experiences. A remote lab will be established in each country of the partners institutions and a take-home lab will be established in each HEI of the partner countries. The very nature of remote labs, and take-home labs makes them sustainable and easily scalable as they becomes part of the university structure and receives part of its budget. Moreover, the nature of the remote labs makes them sustainable as they are accessible from everywhere and could be used for both teaching and for research.

3DGarT addresses VET initial and continuous training in the garment sector, in Jordan and Palestine. It builds on the recommendations obtained by a previous Eramsus+ Capacity Building project for HEIs, on similar studies in Palestine and it follows the Priorities for Action from ETF for Human Capital Development in both countries. It aims at modernizing the offered VET training by incorporating the principles of 3D Garment Design into the curricula of Initial VET training and also in advancing the knowledge of existing employees in design departments.The project will draw knowledge from the participating HEIs and training providers, which offer courses on 3D Garment design, adapt it to the needs of VET providers and Final Users and transform it into curriculum, profile design and training reform actions for newcomers and for existing employees. It will improve the level of competences, skills and employability potential of VET learners by developing new and innovative VET education programs, by delivering key competences and ICT skills related to 3D garment design.The specific objectives of the projects are to: Establish an innovative lab center for creativity and design “Garment and Fashion Design Center” one in each country, to design and implement comprehensive training programs for students, semi-skilled workers, trainers, stakeholders based on the assessment of needs including study tours for selected participants to an internationally renowned fashion institution, to developing and implement promotional and marketing strategies and materials including a market outlook, and assisting workshops/entrepreneurs to consolidate business linkages with local and international markets.Work is accomplished in 6 work packages, and the consortium consists of HEIs, a Technical College, NPOs and a Technological Centre, specialised in training for the textile and garment sector.

Tomatoes and cucurbits are among the major vegetables grown in the Mediterranean, ranking 2nd and 3rd after potatoes. Their intensive production, with year round crops and a limited number of cultivars expose them permanently to the emergence and invasions of pathogens including viruses. Geminiviruses are among the most worrying viruses of these crops due to their economic impact, the frequent introduction of new exotic species into the Mediterranean and the continuous emergence of potentially invasive and resistance breaking strains generated by recombination. Prevention and control of these viruses is the major objective of GeMed project. It will be tackled by virologists, entomologists, geneticists, breeders, biologists and computer scientists. The specific objectives are within the major challenges of topic 1.2.2, (i) broadening the knowledge of the ecology of new and potentially invasive geminiviruses with the involvement of partners located at the four cardinal points of the Mediterranean, (ii) understanding outbreak phenomena of invasive recombinant geminiviruses with field observations and analysis of plant-virus interaction using resistance-breaking viral clones and deep small RNA-ome and transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics (iii) diversifying integrated pest management solutions against insect vectors with plant derived metabolites and against viruses with RNA vaccination of crop plants. The innovation potential of GeMed is in the exploration of molecular mechanisms underpinning an outbreak phenomenon, the search of new resistance genes, and validation of exogenous RNAi based plant protection approaches. Stakeholder knowledge and the potential of exploitation and dissemination of the result is embedded in the consortium with full participation of two seed companies and the association with various professional organisations interested in GeMed. Larger dissemination will be done via International plant protection organisations (EPPO, ProMED).

The impetus which carries the consortium to apply for the project is to be a part of the food safety and quality chain. Food safety has become a serious issue for all human being and a possible cause of threaten to health and may be life. As this chain is a serious component of everybody daily life activities, it is important to offer people a trusted opinion and personnel to give a technical decision when it comes to their food. People seek food that is safe and of a nutritive value. This safety will not be achieved without the establishment of centres that strengthen the food safety procedure and help in preventing cases of food-borne diseases in the world. In Jordan Food safety is one of the top government priorities. Government has worked hard since decades to control and issue a set of legislations to guarantee the safety of food provided to citizens of Jordan. Ministry of health established the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) in 2003. The JFDA works as an independent public sector institution that is the sole national competent authority for ensuring food safety and quality. The FoodQA will be in line with the Jordanian vision resembled by the JFDA for providing safe food. FoodQA is a project concentrates on strengthening and enhancing the role of academia and industry in food sector. The creation of an interface Centres between the industry and academia is intended to support the HEI and structure the interfaces between HEIs and Industry; making available to the food sector technical and scientific services that can contribute to the development of the industry and to strength its competitiveness in the direction of a future collaboration with EU particularly in the area of food safety. This if happened will be positively reflected on the national economy, as it is a major industrial part and offer a huge number of employment opportunities for youth.