![[Translate to English:] Dr. Emad Hejazeen bei der Preisverleihung an der KU 2006](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/9/csm_Preisverleihung_2006_359b75cc9b.webp)
Emad Hejazeen completed his doctorate in 2006 at the then Chair of Cultural Geography under Prof. Dr. Hans Hopfinger with a thesis on "Tourism and Local communities in Jordan: Perception, Attitudes and Impacts". In his work, he investigated the economic, social and environmental impact of tourism on local communities in archaeological sites such as Petra and Jerash. His doctoral thesis was awarded a science prize from the KU and formed an important cornerstone for his academic and professional career.
Even after completing his doctorate, he remained professionally connected to the KU and was its cooperation partner from 2011 onwards in a project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The project investigated opportunities and risks for small and medium-sized tourism companies in the Middle East, using Jordan as an example. As "Comissioner Petra Archaelogical Park & Cultural Heritage", Hejazeen was responsible at the time for the rock-cut city of Petra, the most important tourist destination in the Kingdom of Jordan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Emad Hejazeen has also gained a great deal of experience in his country's tourism sector, having already served as Secretary General of the Ministry before his appointment as Jordanian Tourism Minister.