University Of Jordan, Aqaba

The University of Jordan (), often abbreviated UJ or JU, is a public university located in Amman, Jordan. Founded in 1962, and it is the largest and oldest institution of higher education in Jordan. It is located in the capital Amman in the Jubaiha District of Amman. It is composed of 25 faculties, and offers 91 bachelor programs and 161 postgraduate programs. The university's stated main strategy and rule is to be global and productive in all its educational fields.

The University District where the University of Jordan is located is considered one of the most developed parts of Amman, with a rich history of education, culture, and a high population density.

Over the years, the university has experienced impressive growth. From its inception with 35,000 students in the early 2000s, the student population surged to 45,000 by the mid-2010s and surpassed 50,000 by 2019. With a rich history of graduating over two hundred thousand individuals, the university has played a significant role in shaping Jordanian society and its neighboring regions. The institution also boasts a diverse student body, with 12% international students as part of its international program. Additionally, the university maintains a faculty of approximately 1,600 members, with a third holding professorial degrees from American, European, Asian, and Arab universities, as well as alumni of the University of Jordan itself.

In terms of international recognition, the University of Jordan has secured the top spot locally and ranked 368th globally in the QS World University Rankings for 2025. This accomplishment further solidifies its position as a leading institution within the academic landscape.

Campus location

In 1962, the University of Jordan selected Jubaiha area as the construction site for its campus. Situated north of the capital, Amman, the conservatory offered ample space, picturesque views adorned with ancient cypress and pine trees, and a central location, close to significant landmarks in Jordan.

Spanning an area of 1,200 dunums, equivalent to 0.463 square miles (1.20 km2), the university campus in Jubaiha is a focal point. Notably, University Street, a bustling thoroughfare in Amman, intersects the area. This lively street serves as a vital link between East and West Amman, hosting numerous cafes, restaurants, hotels, and student accommodations, making it a popular hangout for young individuals.

The campus features twelve gates, including one on the southern side, two on the eastern side, two on the northern side, and seven on the western side, notably the University Street side, which includes the main entrance. Additionally, four parking lots are designated for student vehicles, including those by the College of Arts in the south, the Admissions and Registration Unit near University Street, the College of Education at the northern gate, and the Scientific Parking area on the far eastern side of the scientific colleges.

History

Establishment

Before the founding of the University of Jordan, the people of Jordan had demanded constantly that a university is to be built in Jordan. Back then, in the 1950s, most Jordanian students studied higher education abroad. In 1962, a delegation from the British Army met with the commanders of the Jordanian Army to negotiate terms for aid from the British government intended to help with the establishment of the University of Jordan. Before King Hussein bin Talal gave the royal decree, he had been negotiating with Prime Minister Wasfi Tal regarding the establishment of the university, and they both agreed on moving forward with it; and thus King Hussein bin Talal put Prime Minister Wasfi Tal in charge of establishing the University of Jordan. The text of the Royal Decree states:

On the Opening ceremony of the university, King Hussein bin Talal, accompanied by his convoy, Prince Hassan bin Talal, and Jordanian Prime Minister Wasfi al-Tal, arrived at the university. They were warmly welcomed by the university's president, Nasir al-Din al-Asad, the head of the Board of Trustees, Samir Al-Rifai, and other members of the Board of Trustees.

During a ceremony held on 17 April 1965, King Hussein was presented with the university's first degree, an honorary doctorate. Following this honor, the King delivered an inspiring speech at the university auditorium, expressing his immense pride in witnessing the realization of his most cherished dreams and aspirations:

Early history

On 25 December 1965, the University of Jordan commenced its first day of teaching. At its inception, the university operated from three modest buildings with a budget of 50 thousand dinars and a faculty comprising eight teachers, supplemented by a small number of international professors. Notable among these professors were Nasir al-Din al-Asad, Abdul-Karim Gharaybeh, Fakher Aqel, Shawqi Daif, and Hashim Yaghi. Initially, the university consisted of one faculty, namely the Faculty of Arts, with a student body totaling 167, including 17 female students.

In its formative years, the university administration actively worked on developing the institution's infrastructure. Without delay, additional faculties were established, including the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Economics and Commerce, both inaugurated in 1965, alongside the Faculty of Arts.

Dubbed "the Mother University" by the Jordanian media in late 1962, the University of Jordan holds the distinction of being the first university established in the country. Several pioneering initiatives originated from the University of Jordan, solidifying its status as a trailblazer in the region. The Samir Al-Rifai Theater at the university served as the launchpad for the first Jordanian theater. Additionally, the Department of Sociology spearheaded the establishment of the first Jordanian community project. Furthermore, the university introduced the first credit hour system in the Arab world, marking another significant milestone in its innovative approach to education. In its early years, the University of Jordan represented a unique Arab experience. Initially recognized as a state university, it operated independently from the government, distinguishing itself as a national institution that was scientifically, financially, and administratively autonomous.

In its early years, the university adopted Arabic as the primary language of instruction for humanities disciplines, while English was used for scientific and technical fields. The humanities faculties were home to some of the most distinguished Arabic language scholars in the region, including Nasir al-Din al-Asad, Shawqi Daif, Hashem Yaghi, Nihad Al-Mousa, Ibrahim Al-Samarrai, and Abdulkareem Khalefah. Initially, the university followed a rigid annual academic system, but in 1968, this structure was reformed to allow students greater flexibility in selecting their courses.

1970–1990: Expansion and economic challenges

Despite the political and security challenges that Jordan faced in the late 1960s and early 1970s—including repeated Israeli military aggression and internal conflicts such as Black September—the University of Jordan continued its growth and expansion. Between 1970 and 1990, the university witnessed a significant increase in the number of faculties and research centers.

During this period, Jordan experienced a phase of economic development, bolstered by substantial financial assistance from the United States and various Arab nations. As a result, the university administration established ten new faculties, including the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering, Nursing, Agriculture, Law, and Physical Education. Additionally, eight scientific research centers were created, along with the establishment of the university's teaching hospital.

Other significant developments included the founding of the Deanship of Student Affairs and the Deanship of Scientific Research. The university mosque was inaugurated on June 10, 1980, in a ceremony attended by King Hussein and Prince Hassan. Later, on April 6, 1982, a royal decree was issued to establish the Islamic Cultural Center.

Financial support for the university fluctuated during this period, increasing from 225,000 Jordanian dinars in 1970 to 950,000 dinars by 1990.

1990–2000: Democratization and student movements

This era began with the lifting of martial law in Jordan, leading to greater democratic freedoms and continued university expansion. During the 1990s, student activism grew stronger, with demands to establish a national student union, starting with the University of Jordan.

During this time, the university administration implemented a single-vote system for electing members of the University Council. In 1990, a preparatory committee was elected, and by 1992, a "Student Council" was formally established—though it was not recognized as a full "Student Union." The university’s policies and regulations remained aligned with the broader political direction of the Jordanian state, leading to ongoing tensions between students and the administration. However, relations between the university and the Ministry of Higher Education improved, resulting in greater coordination on key policy decisions.

A major milestone was reached in 1998 when the University Board of Trustees was reinstated, restoring the institution’s academic, administrative, and financial autonomy. Additionally, the Higher Education Council’s authority over university accreditation and quality assurance was transferred to the Accreditation Council, ensuring more institutional independence.

2000–Present: Expansion and research development

This period was marked by several transformative decisions, including the establishment of the Aqaba branch, the introduction of parallel and international admission programs, the rise of blended learning, and increased student activism on campus.

In 2000, government funding to the university decreased to 400,000 Jordanian dinars. This financial shift contributed to a sharp increase in student enrollment and faculty expansion. New admission categories were introduced, including parallel and international admissions in 2000. Additionally, large numbers of students from marginalized areas were accepted under politically and socially motivated scholarships, such as grants for students from underprivileged regions, tribal communities, and the children of military and security personnel.

A significant institutional milestone was achieved in 2008 under the presidency of Khaled Al-Karaki when the university established its Aqaba branch, which began operations in 2009. Between 2000 and 2011, the university registered 78 patents, published 752 books, and produced 8,764 research papers authored by its faculty members.

At the start of the 2010s, the university administration set an ambitious goal to transform the University of Jordan into both a globally recognized and research-intensive institution. To support this vision, the university allocated 5% of its annual budget to scientific research. Graduate programs expanded significantly, with the introduction of 111 master’s programs, 38 doctoral programs, and 16 higher specialization programs in medicine.

Student activism also intensified during the 2010s, with several influential student organizations shaping campus political discourse. Prominent electoral lists included Nashama, Ahl Al-Himma, Al-Awda, Al-Karama, and Al-Tajdeed, among others.

In 2012, during the university’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, King Abdullah II inaugurated the event at Al-Hassan Bin Talal Auditorium, honoring former university presidents and unveiling several new facilities. During his speech, then-university president highlighted that since its founding, the University of Jordan had graduated a total of 159,383 students.

University presidents

Academics

The University of Jordan offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The university has 78 undergraduate programs and 143 postgraduate programs which are divided into 109 master's degrees, and 34 doctoral degrees. The faculties are categorized into three streams: Scientific faculties, Humanitarian faculties, and Medical (Health) faculties.

Faculties

The University of Jordan's faculties include:

Scientific faculties

There are four scientific faculties:
*School of Science
*School of Agriculture
*School of Engineering
*King Abdullah II School for Information TechnologyThese faculties include 22 departments such as the department of Physics in the school of science, and the department of Electrical engineering in the school of engineering. The faculty of Engineering was established in 1975, and is now the biggest faculty in the University of Jordan, as of 2021 all its departments have been accredited by ABET; Chemical engineering,  Civil Engineering, Computer engineering, Electrical engineering, Industrial engineering, Mechanical engineering and Mechatronics Engineering.

Humanitarian faculties

*School of Arts
*School of Business
*School of Sharia
*School of Educational Sciences
*School of Law
*School of Physical Education
*School of Arts and Design
*School of International Studies
* School of Foreign languages
*School of Archaeology and Tourism

Medical faculties

^{''See Also: Medical education in Jordan''}
*School of Nursing
*School of Medicine
*School of Pharmacy
*School of Dentistry
*School of Rehabilitation Sciences

Centers and institutes

Institutes:
* Institute of Archaeology
* International Institute for Teaching Arabic Language to Speakers of Other Languages
* Social Work Institute
* Institute of agricultural research training extension and education
* The Institute for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World]
Centers:
* Center for Photonics Research
* The University of Jordan Language Center
Directed at offering courses of Arabic language as a foreign language.
* The Jordan Academy of Arabic
One of 10 academies in the world that regulate Arabic language and literature. The academy is considered one of the world's top references for Arabic language and Arabic literature. The main publication of the academy is the biannual journal "The Journal of Jordan Academy of Arabic" (), as well as many dictionaries and other publications.
* The Islamic Cultural Center
Established in 1982, it provides support for researchers on Islamic studies, it also organizes courses and seminars for Islamic history and literature scholars.
* The Center for Documents and Manuscripts
Established in 1972 to promote the study of Arabic and Islamic heritage, and to provide researchers with original and primary sources. The CDM library boasts 31,000 manuscripts.
* Water and Environment Research and Study Center

The objective of the establishment of the center is to provide research in water management and environment on the regional and international level.
* Deanship of Research and Graduate Studies
The University of Jordan launched its first graduate program in 1968/69, it was an MA program in Educational Administration and Guidance,
the faculty cooperates with:

# Jordan Media Institute which offers a one–year practical master's degree.
# The National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, which offers MA and High Diploma.
* Center for Strategic Studies Jordan
The center was established in 1998 aiming to perform political and economical studies on the national and regional level. The center also performs polls with high levels of accuracy. The center occasionally performs studies for Aljazeera.

Jordan University Hospital

The Jordan University Hospital was established in 1973, and it was merged with the University of Jordan in 1976. It is one of the most developed hospitals in Jordan. It's been accredited by many organizations, most notably JCI and HACCP. It also has affiliations with King Hussein Cancer Center, which was the first Cancer Center outside of the United States to be accredited by the JCI Disease Specific Certification (DSC) in November 2007.

The University of Jordan Library

The University of Jordan Library (UJL), established in 1962 alongside the founding of the University of Jordan, stands as a crucial academic resource center in Amman, Jordan. Encompassing over 12,000 square meters with an additional 4,000 square meters dedicated to reading rooms across various university faculties and scientific centers, the UJL supports a diverse academic community. The library's extensive collection boasts over one million items, including print and electronic resources, offering comprehensive services to faculty, students, researchers, and international scholars. Historically significant, the UJL was the second public library in Jordan, following the Central Library established in 1960. Organized into three main departments—Technical, Library Services, and Information—the library efficiently manages indexing, classification, acquisitions, lending systems, references, deposits, and computerization. The UJL's collections include significant historical documents, archives, parliamentary minutes, newspaper archives dating back to 1870, and special records from Jerusalem's Sharia courts and the Mamluk Sultanate. Additionally, the UJL serves as a depository center for UN and international organization documents. In September 2018, the American Corner was inaugurated within the library, enhancing cultural and educational resources. The UJL is accessible 90 hours per week, serving an average of 11,000 users daily, and provides specialized facilities for visually impaired students. Since 1986, the library has been a repository for theses and dissertations from Arab universities, accredited by the Association of Arab Universities. Integrating modern technological solutions, the UJL offers an online catalog system (Horizon) and various digital access services, underscoring its role as a key repository of both national and international historical records and a hub of academic excellence.

Scientific research

Scientific collections

The university research facilities contain collections of historic documents and manuscripts as well as fossil remains that are considered to be of valuable importance for the scientific community, "to provide primary and secondary sources for researchers", among which are the world's only discovered fossil bones of ''Arambourgiania''.

Jordan University Press

According to ''Nature'' journal, Jordan has the highest number of researchers per million people in the Arab World, and the 30th worldwide. In its objective to promote scientific research, the Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research established collaboration with the University of Jordan Deanship of Academic Research in the early 1990s to publish several internationally peer-reviewed scientific journals on the highest standards in applied and social sciences as well as medical and pharmaceutical sciences. These journals are:
* ''Jordan Medical Journal'' () a peer refereed journal for researches in medical sciences and molecular biology.
* ''Jordan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences'' ()
* ''Jordan Journal of Business Administration''
* ''Jordan Journal of Social Sciences''
* ''Jordan Journal for History and Archaeology''
* ''Jordan Journal of Agricultural Sciences''

The University of Jordan Press issues the internationally peer-reviewed Dirasat Journal series, and several other journals in Arabic literature, Arabic and Middle Eastern history, and regional culture:
* ''Aqlam Jadidah'', a journal mainly for Arabic literature
* ''The Cultural Journal'', a quarterly published journal in Arabic, founded in 1983.
* '' Dirasat Journal Series'':
** ''Agricultural Sciences'' ()
** ''Human and Social Sciences'' ()
** ''Administrative Sciences'' ()
** ''Educational Sciences'' ()
** ''Engineering Sciences'' ()
** ''Shari'a and Law Sciences'' ()
** ''Pure Sciences'' ()

Rankings

The University of Jordan has the highest admission scores for most majors in the country. According to the 2021 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, it was the top ranked university in Jordan and the number 11 university in the Arab world.

In 2022, QS ranked the university in the 591 – 600 band in the world with 5 stars rating, 101 – 450 by subject rankings, tenth in the Arab world and 301 – 500 in graduate employability globally. In the same year, Times Higher Education ranked the university within the 801 – 1000 band globally, 179th for BRICS and Emerging Economies, 250 – 300 in Asian university rankings, and 22nd for Arab University Rankings 2021.

In 2022, the University of Jordan ranked in the 701 – 800 band in Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities, and in 151 – 500 band for various subject rankings.

In 2023, the University of Jordan ranked in the 801–900 band in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and in the 591–600 band in th
QS World University Rankings

In 2024, the University of Jordan maintained its position in the 801–900 band in the ARWU and improved to the 498th position in the QS World University Rankings

International affiliations and agreements

Bilateral agreements

The University of Jordan has hundreds of agreements mostly for student exchange programs, of which 16 agreements are with universities in the United States such as Vanderbilt University and Murray State University.

Affiliations

* International Association of Universities
* Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World
* Mediterranean Universities Union
* Association of Arab Universities

Students

The University of Jordan Student Union is the University's student body.

The regulations governing the Student Union have been subject to several revisions and major changes since its conception. The latest version of these regulations was written by a committee of both students (Hamdoon Khateeb, Malek Khalaileh, Khaled Gabba, Yasmeen AbuTaleb, Issam Khoury) and faculty members (Dr. Ali Mahafzah, Dr. Ali Badran, Dr. Ali Sawwa) and put into effect in 2008.

Alumni

Graduates from UJ have attained positions in many fields in many countries including government, science, business, literature, and military. Some notable alumni are:
* Maha Ali, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply of Jordan
* Afroz Ahmad, Indian civil servant
* Saif Atout, Founder of DigiZag
*Sima Sami Bahous (born 1956), Jordanian Executive Director of UN Women
* Eid Dahiyat, former minister of education of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
* Jeffrey Feltman, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.
* Rami Hamdallah, former prime Minister of Palestine
* Wadah Khanfar, former director general of the Al Jazeera Media Network.
* Malik R. Dahlan, Professor of International Law and Public Policy Queen Mary University of London, International Chair, Harvard Law School Association, President Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy
* Zu'bi M.F. Al-Zu'bi, Director of Development at The University of Sydney, Australia and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy United Kingdom.
* Ehab Al Shihabi, Jordanian-American executive director of international operations for Al Jazeera Media Network.
* Saleh Ali Al-Kharabsheh, Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
* Yousef Al-Abed, chemist, professor at Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
* Zulaikha Abu Risha, writer and activist
* Nourah Al Saad, writer
* Jalil Tarif, economist
* Alaa Wardi, Saudi Arabian musician and artist
* Hoshyar Zebari, minister of foreign affairs of Iraq.
* Ahmad Ziadat, Jordanian Minister of Justice

See also

* List of Islamic educational institutions
* List of universities in Jordan

References

External links

Jordan Ministry of Education

Jordan Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

American University of Madaba (AUM)

University of Jordan Guys Forum

University of Jordan Official website

Faculty of Agriculture

Faculty of Foreign Languages

Faculty of Arts

Center for Strategic Studies Jordan

The University of Jordan Programs Library

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1962 establishments in Jordan
Universities and colleges established in 1962
Universities in Jordan
University of Jordan