The center is a non-profit interdisciplinary educational entity based at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). It began as an EU-funded project in 1999-2000. The main idea behind initiating this center was to expose the university and local communities to a whole new way of thinking about democracy through creating awareness, positive attitudes and ethics that lead to independent thinking.
The Civil Society Development (CSDC) aims at increasing the knowledge and abilities of the university's community (students, faculty and staff) and surrounding society to meet current and future development challenges through the promotion of attitudes and ethics conducive to independent thinking, open debate, participation in decision-making, gender awareness, non-violent conflict management, leadership and community service.
Vision
In accordance with the University's vision of achieving academic excellence at national and international levels, the Center aims at increasing the knowledge and abilities of the university's community (students, faculty, and staff) and surrounding society to meet current and future development challenges through the promotion of attitudes and ethics conducive to independent thinking, open debate, participation in decision-making, gender awareness, leadership, and community service.
The Center will enhance the quality of the university's human resources and its partnership with the civil society at local, national, and international levels. The Center's vision is to equip the university's constituencies (students, faculty, and staff) with the various interpersonal and participatory skills and tools required to meet current and future developmental challenges.
Mission
The Civil Society Development Center (CSDC) is a non-profit interdisciplinary educational entity based at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). In accord with the University's mission of achieving academic excellence, the Center aims at increasing the knowledge and abilities of the university's community and the surrounding society to meet current and future development challenges. This will be achieved through the promotion of attitudes and ethics conducive to independent thinking, open debate, participation in decision-making, gender awareness, leadership, and community service. The Center works towards enhancing the quality of the university's human resources and its partnership with the society at the local, national, and international levels.
Activities
The center constantly conducts research to establish baseline data on many social and political issues, such as management of change, youth employment, family protection, elections, gender awareness, etc., This helps defining the various developmental challenges facing Jordanian civil society.
Training workshops (on- and off-campus), invited speakers, field studies and visits, and recruiting volunteers are CSDC's major activities. Training materials are culturally relevant to be suitable to participants.
CSDC progresses through active participation and effective relationships with national and international organizations that share similar mission and objectives with CSDC.
