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The German Jordanian University (GJU) in collaboration with JOINOLOG and HELP Logistics has held from 18^th to 20^th of May, a JOINOLOG Logistics Hackathon in its innovation center. 

The successful Hackathon event focused on humanitarian logistics challenges in the region. Participants were about 30 GJU students from various backgrounds, including technology, logistics, and humanitarian sectors.  

They gathered to come up with possible solutions to three main challenges in delivering aid efficiently and effectively to camps and beneficiaries: 

• Challenge 1: Ensuring the delivery to/of the aid materials to the actual beneficiaries 
• Challenge 2: Estimating the quantity of the aid materials per family 
• Challenge 3: Alternative collectors 

During the event, teams worked hard, brainstorming innovative solutions, and developing prototypes to improve humanitarian logistics operations. They tackled key aspects such as supply chain management, transportation, distribution, and information management systems. 

The Hackathon fostered a spirit of collaboration, with participants sharing their expertise and leveraging cutting-edge technologies.

Throughout the event, mentors and sector experts provided guidance and support to the teams, ensuring a robust exchange of ideas and the practical application of solutions (soft skills, financing, business models, prototyping and ideas pitching). Participants had the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and GJU professors, gaining valuable insights on complex challenges faced in humanitarian logistics. 

At the conclusion of the Hackathon, teams presented their solutions to a panel of judges, consisting of industry experts from HELP Logistics, ACTED, a JOINOLOG member and a GJU logistics professor. The presentations showcased innovative approaches, demonstrating the potential for significant positive impact in humanitarian logistics operations. 

The event sparked a sense of enthusiasm and commitment among the participants, as they witnessed the transformative power of technology in addressing humanitarian challenges. Collaborative efforts, creative thinking, and the drive to make a difference were at the heart of this successful Hackathon, paving the way for future advancements in humanitarian logistics in Jordan. 

Idea and Vision 

JOINOLOG’s main objective is the creation of a seamless network of logistics stakeholders in Jordan. By connecting all vital players in the field, the project seeks to promote research conditions and innovation transfer. One of the key steps that will help realize this project concept is the seminar series that recently took off under the umbrella of JOINOLOG. 

The event series is aimed towards all actors of logistics in Jordan, with its principal goal being the connection of these groups and the exchange of current ideas and trends. 

To this end, JOINOLOG invites two logistics experts per seminar edition. With a given umbrella term, they present current hot topics of their sector. The event includes two speakers from different backgrounds to reflect differing points of view and wider expertise. The first speaker is from Jordan, while the other is an international speaker. 

JOINOLOG’s vision of collaboration in the logistic sector is realized by the interactive form of the event: The ensuing discussion on the given topics brings fruitful results and encourages networking between actors, which otherwise might not have interacted. By bringing them together, JOINOLOG aims to discover similarities and project synergies which can be used by further cooperation of the participants, ultimately strengthening the innovative power of logistics in Jordan. 

Process and Execution 

To prepare the seminar, it is critical to identify an umbrella topic – a theme for the event that both speakers and the audience will be interested in. With this, the team can pick a suitable pool of candidates for the speakers, in both the national and international dimension. A date is set which will consider usual and international business hours. Thereafter, the availability and interest of the speakers is verified. Lastly, the practical and technical preparation begins by identifying a suitable platform, marketing the event, and finalizing the timeframe. One of the project directors moderates the seminar edition and leads the discussion and panel.  

The seminar’s duration is around 70-90 minutes, with the first speaker presenting his part, followed by the second speaker and lastly a Q&A period takes place along with a panel discussion between the presenters and the audience.  

First Edition of JOINOLOG Seminar Series: Digitalization 

The first seminar of the series took place on the 19^th of September 2022. The vast topic of “Digitalization in Logistics” was presented by two speakers. Mr. Rafiq Alotti, Country Manager at Hapag-Lloyd AG in Jordan, who talked about Digital Business and Transformation in Logistics”. His presentation emphasized the importance of introducing digital solutions to modern logistical challenges. The second speaker, Mr. Hein Kerstgens, Corporate Representative and Director Board Projects at Rhenus SE & Co. KG, who gave a presentation on Digitalization of a Tri-modal Hinterland Container Network – COLA, the example of Rhenus’. In fascinating case studies of his company, Mr. Kerstgens provided examples from logistical practice, in which the digital transformation is being executed. 

In the seminar, opportunities, benefits, and challenges of the path towards digitalized logistics and the importance of the ongoing transformation towards digitalization were conveyed to an interested audience. The speakers also shed light on current success cases of digitalized companies and captured advantages of digitalization.  

The seminar had a successful takeoff with many logisticians, logistics students and interested people attending and participating in the discussion. Future seminar editions will cover a range of different topics, such as sustainability in supply chains, humanitarian logistics, innovation in logistics and current trends in logistics. 

The goal of JOINOLOG is the coordination of logistical stakeholders. With JOINOLOG’s support, they are encouraged to conduct projects together. The output of these projects was the topic of JOINOLOG’s first survey: What should the logistical project partners aim for? What is needed and, equally important, what is doable in a limited framework of temporary cooperation?

To answer these questions, the first survey by the JOINOLOG project was conducted. Professionals in the logistical field were presented with the collected possible project outputs. They were asked to rate the item’s value of the logistical sector in Jordan and the feasibility of the output by collaboration among stakeholders.

Four groups of possible output are distinguished:

Innovation as Output – Improvements in logistical products or processes

Trainings as Output – Transfer of skills and knowledge between logistics business and academia

Scientific Output – Academic discussion of and solutions to practical challenges

Start-Ups as Output – Fresh businesses aimed towards logistics in Jordan

The matrix below shows the survey’s results in respect to the four groups:

All output proposals were rated on average above the score of 7, no proposed outputs were considered not valuable or not feasible.

Apparently, outputs in each group were always considered of similar values to each other. The best ratings were given to the trainings that could be conducted throughJOINOLOG, close second would be the innovations the projects could achieve.

Both scientific output and start-ups as output were considered slightly less valuable and feasible. This could be due to the survey’s audience, consisting of mostly business focused logistical experts on LinkedIn. Trainings and innovation will most likely be of more value to this demographic.

These results will help the JOINOLOG project to present future cooperations with appropriate project goals, which they can achieve and will be of value to the logistical landscape of Jordan.

The project team thanks all participants for taking part in the survey!

We are delighted to welcome the following members to the JOINOLOG Advisory Board! This first structural part of the emerging JOINOLOG network regularly meets to decide on strategic issues brought forward by the project team. This way, the PAB forms the center’s aspects since its foundation in May 2021. 

The board consists of four expert professionals working across the breadth of a diverse logistics landscape.  
Each of our four Advisory Board members brings with them a wealth of relevant experience developed at the highest levels of logistics focused organizations.  

 These members are: 

• Hakam Abul Feilat, representing AQABA Logistics Village (ALV) 

The general manager of Aqaba Logistics Village and an all around professional with over 20 years of experience in logistics, shipping, transport, and warehousing with international and local companies in the region. Mr. Hakam obtains excellent organizational skills with a unique combination of strength in sales and processes, in addition to knowledge and responsibility for Production and Logistics in various fields. 

  

• Dr. Mahmoud Abuhussein, representing The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST) 

The Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Higher Council for Science and Technology with more than 7 years of extensive experience in the field of research and technical project research. Dr. Mahmoud has an extensive set of skills in research and development (R&D), technology transfer and Inter-departmental Cooperation.

 

• Fares L. Abudayyeh, representing the Ministry of Transport 

A highly accomplished freight forwarding and clearance expert with progressive experience in management roles within multiple areas. Mr. Fares has extensive managerial experience in the international freight & logistics business, mainly in Jordan and Middle East. He joins the PAB as current Director of Transport and Trade Facilitation Unit at the Ministry of Transport. 

• Martin Ohlsen, former Logistics Director of the World Food Programme 

An international expert in supply chain management, Mr. Martin has spent much of his professional life leading humanitarian efforts for the UN World Food Program (WFP) across diverse geographies, organizing food assistance in the most challenging of environments, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and various Central and West African countries. As a Director at its Rome HQ, he ran the WFP’s worldwide transport & logistics division, and as a Country Director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo he managed a large country program. 

Mr. Martin offers international consultancy services related to the coordination and management of project in the humanitarian context and has a variety of strengths in advisory, consultancy, mentoring & humanitarian supply. 

We at JOINOLOG are thrilled to have such national and international knowledgeable and talented professionals forming our Advisory Board. Their expertise will play a valuable role in guiding JOINOLOG in future success and expansion. 

From November 29 to December 3, the German members of the JOINOLOG project team finally had the opportunity to visit Amman again and meet the Jordanian team members as well as other stakeholders and potential future partners. The long overdue trip, which had to be postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, gave the entire team a chance to get a better picture of the opportunities at hand, but also of the challenges ahead. 

The two equal project partners, the Amman-based German-Jordanian University (GJU) and the Frankfurt-based Research Center for Logistics at Fulda University of Applied Sciences (FUAS) conducted meetings throughout Amman, hosted a student workshop and visited the GJU campus in Madaba, 25 km south of the Jordanian capital.

At GJU’s main campus, the JOINOLOG team met with Dr. Ralf Rosskopf, the university’s Vice Dean for International Affairs, to discuss potential future JOINOLOG events at GJU, as well as regular collaborations on networking events aimed at linking academia and economy more closely. Dr. Rosskopf informed the JOINOLOG team of the ongoing development of research clusters at GJU, as well as the new Deanship of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship, which aims to support student-led start-ups even more in the future. Vice versa, the JOINOLOG team presented Dr. Rosskopf with its vision of holding regular “Industry Talks”, informal get-togethers that bring together academic experts and business leaders.

Following the fruitful exchange with Dr. Rosskopf, the JOINOLOG team met Ms. Britta Kaehler and Eng. Jamil AlKhatib from GJU’s Office for Industrial Links, as well as Dr. Nidal Shwawreh, the Dean of  Innovation, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship, for a working meeting. The group held a lively discussion about a planned hackathon that JOINOLOG and GJU aim to organize in close cooperation in the second half of 2022 .

Finally, the JOINOLOG team moved to GJU’s campus in central Amman to hold a 60-minute student workshop. During the workshop, two groups of Masters students used the brainwriting method to narrow down the three most relevant current logistical challenges in Jordan. The results will be used as a basis for shaping the research agenda of JOINOLOG in future.

In addition to these meetings between different departments of the project’s two main stakeholders, GJU and HFD, the team also held several meetings with some of the leading experts in the field of logistics in Jordan. 

At HELP logistics, the team learned more about HELP’s activities on the ground in Amman, Jordan and in the wider region, while briefing them about JOINOLOG and its current status and plans for the future. Both sides identified several fields for potential future cooperation. In particular, HELP and JOINOLOG discussed how they could work together on the planned hackathon, but also beyond that, e.g. in the field of humanitarian logistics research.

At Maersk, the JOINOLOG team met Rakan Madi, country manager for Jordan and Iraq. Mr. Rakan emphasized that Maersk is fully supportive of the project and is very comfortable with the collaborative approach that the team seeks to pursue. He made valuable proposals for additional potential partners JOINOLOG should contact and, in return, appreciated JOINOLOG’s plans to hold “Industry Talks” and conduct webinars in the future. 

Finally, before returning to Germany, the JOINOLOG team met with the team of the Jordan Logistics Network (JLN). The two founders, Ismat Yassin and Majd Alasmar, have built  a virtual network of logisticians across the country over the last few years and have become the prime source for information for many industry personnel. JLN and JOINOLOG are determined to work closely together in the future to carry out activities across Jordan, such as a job fair or a series of workshops or webinars. 

In the only virtual meeting of the week, the JOINOLOG team met with its Project Advisory Board (PAB). In interesting and productive discussions among the board, important structural developments were suggested. The members of the PAB gave valuable input on the center’s strategic direction, which the project team will implement.

An extremely interesting and productive week lies behind the JOINOLOG team, bringing the logistics center for innovation closer to reality.