Ammon News - Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research Muhammad Abu Qudais on Sunday revealed that a new bylaw integrating e-learning into higher education institutions has been endorsed.

The minister told Petra that the application of the new bylaw at higher education institutions is underway, adding that it will guarantee the restructuring of academic programs in line with e-learning integration requirements and labor market needs.

Abu Qudais further explained that the bylaw requires higher education institutions to restructure academic programs and curricula in a manner commensurate with the e-learning approach in its two formats; online and blended.

According to the new bylaw, the e-learning proportion of any academic program's total credit hours should not be less than 10 per cent and not more than 20 per cent, while 40 to 60 per cent of the total credit hours of any humanities or social sciences discipline should be taught via the blended learning approach. The percentage ranges between 30 and 50 per cent for scientific, technical, and medical majors.

However, the minister added, the Higher Education Council will have the power to exclude any major from the proportions introduced by the new bylaw.

He stressed that the bylaw will greatly advance higher education programs to keep pace with global developments imposed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, saying: "It [the bylaw] will enable our graduates to compete in the labor market equipped with modern skills that qualify them to obtain suitable job opportunities."

He said that the legislation is designed to enhance face-to-face learning by gradually integrating e-learning, stressing that students and faculty members and other stakeholders should be trained to implement e-learning and blended learning in order to bring about the desired learning outcomes.

(Petra)