Prof. Dr. Ziad Al-Hawamdeh, the Vice President of Jordan University for Administrative and Financial Affairs, sponsored the scientific day of School of Antiquities and Tourism, entitled "Digitization in Heritage and Tourism." The event was attended by the Dean, Prof. Dr. Ziad Alrawadieh, the representative of the Director General of the Department of Antiquities, Aktham Al-Abbadi, and members of the faculty, administrative staff, and students of the School.
Al-Hawamdeh emphasized the importance of the scientific day, which discusses the issue of digitization in heritage and tourism, especially at a time when we witness wars and their destructive effects on archaeological sites as seen in Gaza. This provides an opportunity to find solutions to many problems, especially those faced by the tourism and archaeological sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that Jordan University, under the guidance of its President Pfof. Nathir Obeidat, is working on digitization projects in all its School and units, utilizing artificial intelligence, which has become a necessity in our era due to its superior ability to analyze and process data in amazing ways, thus elevating the university's ranking among its local and international counterparts.
Dr. Ziad Alrawadieh stated that the school chose the topic of digitization in heritage and tourism due to its rapid deployment on the global scene after the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual tours and museums have become widespread, and remote work has become common in tourism. The concept of jobs has changed, and the skills and knowledge required for the job market have shifted, with the proliferation of artificial intelligence products and applications, necessitating the development of our curricula and teaching methods to keep pace with all of this.
Al-Abbadi expressed his happiness in participating in this very important scientific day, confirming the Department of Antiquities' interest in digitization since the 1990s through projects involving digitization uses and the input of all data, maintenance and restoration work for archaeological sites, documentation, and preservation. He also mentioned the department's efforts to network with all academic institutions inside and outside Jordan to facilitate the extraction of documented data and information for research and studies.
The scientific day included discussions on multiple axes, including: "Artificial Intelligence and Its Uses in Tourism Promotion" presented by student Diaa Al-Samhouri, "How Can Digital Technology Contribute to the Preservation and Documentation of Archaeological and Heritage Sites?" presented by student Shahd Khalil, "Electronic Tourism Applications" presented by student Sarah Al-Sous, "The Use of Geographic Information Systems in Documenting Archaeological and Heritage Sites" presented by student Norhan Mustafa, "Architectural and Site Reconstruction Through Digital Archaeology Implementation" presented by student Kamal Al-Noubani, "The Use of Lidar Technology in Archaeology" presented by students Noor Taha and Dima Harb, "Internet of Things Applications in Tourism Industry" presented by student Lena Adnan, "The Importance of Digitization in Preserving Endangered Archaeological Sites Through 3D Site Imaging" presented by student Rou'a Attia, "Robot Tourism" presented by student Hussein Zamel, "Digitization of Archaeological Pottery" presented by student Lana Jaber, "Digital Archaeology in Using 3D Visualization and Simulation for Burial Customs" presented by student Al-Harith Al-Damour, and "The Role of Photogrammetry in Archaeology and Heritage" presented by student Malek Al-Badawi.
The scientific day witnessed a distinguished attendance of School students and interested parties, and the discussions of the axes were interactive and enriching.