NextGen GJU

German Jordanian Initiative for Political Education and Youth Engagement

About Us
NextGen GJU is the German-Jordanian Initiative for Political Education and Youth Engagement, operating through a student platform at the German Jordanian University (GJU). We empower young people to become active, informed, and influential participants in public life through dialogue, critical political awareness, comparative learning about the political and democratic systems of Jordan and Germany, applied civic engagement, and national and international partnerships.

Our work is aligned with the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein for political modernization and youth empowerment.

The initiative includes an applied track through which students develop practical, student-led solutions to community challenges.

We believe that young people are not only the future; they are active participants in the present and are ready to lead.

Vision

To build a generation of politically aware, critically thinking, and civically engaged young people in Jordan, equipped with a comparative understanding of democratic systems and able to contribute effectively to public life at both the national and global levels.

Mission

To establish a student-led platform at the German Jordanian University that promotes political education and civic engagement through experiential learning, structured dialogue, and German-Jordanian cooperation, in alignment with national reform priorities and democratic principles.

The initiative further aims to empower students to move from being passive recipients of knowledge to active agents in the development of societal initiatives and solutions.

(Official launch ceremony of the NextGen GJU initiative at the German Jordanian University)

Why This Initiative?

The need for informed youth participation
Alignment with Jordan's political modernization process
Building bridges between Germany and Jordan
Establishing NextGen GJU as a platform for civic engagement
Providing a safe and constructive space for political dialogue

Core Objectives

Enhancing political education and comparative democratic learning
Empowering students through applied civic engagement
Institutionalizing a culture of dialogue and informed political participation
Strengthening institutional networks and access to national and international opportunities
Achieving sustainable academic and societal impact

(Panel discussion during the “From Voting to Representation: How Do We Understand Elections?” session)

Our Tracks

Awareness and Comparative Learning:
The awareness track educates young people about the importance of politics and its direct impact on their lives, while framing civic engagement as a central public responsibility. It addresses the sense of disconnection that students may experience by strengthening their understanding, confidence, and capacity to participate. In doing so, it builds a foundation of curiosity, informed engagement, and active citizenship.

Comparative learning draws on the strong German-Jordanian partnership by introducing students at the German Jordanian University to the political systems of both countries, from Jordan's constitutional monarchy to Germany's federal parliamentary system. This comparative approach deepens students' understanding of governance and democracy while recognizing the importance of the growing bilateral relationship. It equips them with a nuanced perspective that is relevant to their study period in Germany and to their future roles as civic and professional leaders.

Introduction to Politics
Media in Politics
Comparative Learning
Policy Lab
Implementation and Simulation
Hard and Soft Skills
International and Local Opportunities

Science-To-Policy:
Science-to-Policy embodies a youth-led vision for contributing to Jordan's public-policy debates by developing evidence-based responses to societal challenges, including climate change. It demonstrates how youth-led research and scientific knowledge can strengthen the resilience and responsiveness of Jordan's domestic and foreign policy.

Through policy labs, research-based dialogue, field activities, and cooperation with experts and relevant institutions, students learn how to identify a policy problem, assess evidence, consider the perspectives of affected stakeholders, and translate their findings into clear and feasible recommendations. The track supports the preparation of student discussion papers and policy briefs and creates opportunities for students to present their proposals to academic, public, and civil-society actors.

In this way, Science-to-Policy connects academic learning with civic responsibility and enables students to contribute constructively to policy discussions through informed, realistic, and context-sensitive solutions.