A Welcome from the President

 

 From the President
It is indeed an honor, a privilege, and a source of pride to have been selected to lead Jordan’s oldest and largest university, as its fourteenth President. This pride is coupled with a great sense of responsibility at this juncture in time after The University of Jordan (UJ) has celebrated its Golden Jubilee amid ever-growing global challenges to higher education. Over the past 56 years, the University has made great strides in becoming Jordan’s premier and most comprehensive university, providing successive generations with solid education and contributing fundamentally to the making of modern Jordan.  Much has been accomplished, and much is currently being done. There remains, however, much more to be done and ample space for improvement. The challenges of the times and the needs of a knowledge-based society make it imperative that UJ charts new strategies for meeting the challenges and gaining more global recognition. 
Under my administration, the University’s vision, mission, and goals will undergo the necessary revision to make them more relevant and more effective.  Priorities will be reassessed, and performance indicators and intended learning outcomes will be revisited constantly. The University will embark on a new era of global distinction and achievement, in which its international standing will be further augmented and advanced. Toward the end of a smart, attractive, productive, and culturally-vibrant campus, several specific initiatives will be launched in the days ahead. It goes without saying, of course, that UJ will also be made financially stable and independent, and will be adopting and maintaining the highest research, educational, administrative, and service standards and procedures.  
Clearly, there is a need to streamline academic programs in a manner that guarantees continued excellence while simultaneously meeting the demands of the rapidly-changing domestic, regional, and global job markets.  The University will continue to embrace the internationally-accepted best practices, and its faculty members will be encouraged to adopt electronic and blended modes of learning.  UJ will also vigorously seek to prepare its students for entrepreneurial careers by spreading the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation and integrating it into curricula all across campus.
 The University will focus on upgrading its research output to meet domestic, regional, and global challenges.  Creating a research environment conducive to world-class scholarly activities is a high priority.  The University’s quest for increased global recognition necessitates establishing and nurturing Centers of Excellence that strike a balance between basic and applied research, and that promote industry-oriented research and commercialization of Research and Development.  Encouraging and supporting Business Incubators on- and off-campus will be high on the University’s agenda, and faculty members will be encouraged to get involved and take initiatives in this regard.
 We will seek to enhance campus diversity and further internationalize the student and faculty bodies.  We envision the University to be an intellectual and cultural hub that reflects positively on the values, lives and careers of those affiliated with it. Students, staff, and faculty will be encouraged to contribute to University policy-making rather than just be on the receiving end. It goes without saying that teamwork will be highly encouraged, and that the participatory approach in all administrative aspects will be espoused.
With the University’s internationalization initiatives, the dedication and hard work of its academic and administrative staff, and the excellence and creativity of its students, the University will continue to lead and contribute greatly to the welfare of its community and beyond.
Professor Abdel-karim Al-Qudah

 

 

 
A Welcome from the President