The University of Jordan (Arabic: الجامعة الأردنية), often abbreviated UJ or JU, is a public university located in Amman, Jordan. Founded in 1962,[10] 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,[11] and offers 91 bachelor programs and 161 postgraduate programs.[12] The university's stated main strategy and rule is to be global and productive in all its educational fields.[13]
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.[14]
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.[15] With a rich history of graduating over two hundred thousand individuals,[16] the university has played a significant role in shaping Jordanian society and its neighboring regions.[17][18] The institution also boasts a diverse student body, with 12% international students as part of its international program.[19] 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.[16]
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.[20]
Campus location
In 1962, the University of Jordan selected Jubaiha area as the construction site for its campus. Situated north of the capital, Amman,[21][22] the conservatory offered ample space, picturesque views adorned with ancient cypress and pine trees, and a central location, close to significant landmarks in Jordan.[23]
Spanning an area of 1,200 dunums, equivalent to 0.463 square miles (1.20 km2),[24] 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,[25] 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,[26] 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
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.[27] 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.[28][10] Before King Hussein bin Talal gave the royal decree,[10] he had been negotiating with Prime Minister Wasfi Tal regarding the establishment of the university, and they both agreed on moving forward with it;[29] and thus King Hussein bin Talal put Prime Minister Wasfi Tal in charge of establishing the University of Jordan.[29] The text of the Royal Decree states:[30]
... We firmly believe in all of these factors and in response to them, and in accordance with Article 40 of the Constitution, as well as the decision made by our Council of Ministers, we hereby declare our intention as follows: A university shall be founded in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to be named the University of Jordan, with its main campus situated at the Jubaiha site in the capital city of the Kingdom.
During the founding of the university, King Hussein bin Talal toured the premises accompanied by Prince Mohammed, the university president, members of the board of trustees, and Prime Minister Wasfi al-Tal.
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.[31]
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:[31]
With fervent and faithful words, I proudly declare, on behalf of the unified Jordanian family, the establishment of the University of Jordan in our beloved country on the second day of September 1962. Today, I stand here, grateful to God, witnessing the joyous celebration of the inauguration of our beloved university. It brings me great joy to hold its certificate, robe, and badge. I offer my heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty, whose power knows no bounds.
— During the opening ceremony of the university on April 17, 1965, King Hussein bin Talal.
On 25 December 1965, the University of Jordan commenced its first day of teaching.[32] At its inception, the university operated from three modest buildings with a budget of 50 thousand dinars and a faculty comprising eight teachers,[30] 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,[33] with a student body totaling 167, including 17 female students.[34]
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.[35]
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.[35] 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.[24] Additionally, the Department of Sociology spearheaded the establishment of the first Jordanian community project.[24] Furthermore, the university introduced the first credit hour system in the Arab world, marking another significant milestone in its innovative approach to education.[24] 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.[36]
Academics
The building of the School of Engineering – University of JordanUniversity Admissions Department
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.[37] The faculties are categorized into three streams: Scientific faculties, Humanitarian faculties, and Medical (Health) faculties.[37]
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 Technology
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" (ISSN0258-1094), 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.[39]
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.[40]
Water and Environment Research and Study Center[41]
The objective of the establishment of the center is to provide research in water management and environment on the regional and international level.[41]
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:
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.
The Jordan University Hospital was established in 1973, and it was merged with the University of Jordan in 1976.[43] It is one of the most developed hospitals in Jordan. It's been accredited by many organizations, most notably JCI and HACCP.[44] 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.[45]
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.[46][47]
Scientific research
Scientific collections
The world's only discovered fossil bones of the Arambourgiania pterosaur (discovered in Russeifa in 1943) are stored in the University of Jordan.[48]
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.[48]
According to Nature journal, Jordan has the highest number of researchers per million people in the Arab World,[49] and the 30th worldwide.[50] 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 (ISSN0446-9283) a peer refereed journal for researches in medical sciences and molecular biology.[51]
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[52]
The Cultural Journal, a quarterly[53] published journal in Arabic, founded in 1983.
The University of Jordan has the highest admission scores for most majors in the country.[68] 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.[69]
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.[70] 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.[67]
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.[71]
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[72] such as Vanderbilt University[73] and Murray State University.[74]
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.[75]
Alumni
First Cohort of Graduates of University of Jordan, 1966. Attended by King Hussein bin Talal (in the middle), Prime Minister Wasfi Tal (behind the podium) and the university lecturers.
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
^نسيم برهم (كلية الآداب، الجامعة الأردنية) (2018). سير عشر جامعات حكومية عربية. المركز العربي للأبحاث ودراسة السياسات. p. 387. ISBN9786144452110. على الرغم من هذا التطور، تراجعت منحة الدولة للجامعة إلى 400,000 دينار في عام 2000، ثم ارتفعت إلى 4.8 مليون دينار في عام 2015، أي ما يعادل 4.4 في المئة فقط من ایراداتها للعام الأخير
