In the name of God, the most merciful, the most compassionate,
May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon you,
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Jordan’s higher education institutions, as you all know, constitute a comprehensive educational system tasked with providing Jordanians with quality higher education that is capable of equipping both undergraduate and intermediate university graduates with the necessary academic and professional skills to meet Jordan’s evolving needs. That being said, our region is witnessing a number of emerging economic and political challenges that are bound to affect both Jordan and the region’s present and future socioeconomic makeup. These changes bring forth new demands and expectations in terms of Jordan’s ability to prepare its human resources in the different fields. Consequently, there is an urgent need to reconsider our future educational inputs in a manner that enables our educational system to meet the challenges ahead with confidence, and propel our society into further growth and progress.
In view of this, and the predicted changes to public institutions’ structure and makeup, it is my hope that an applied university be founded in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to further bolster Jordan’s higher education philosophy, meet the demands of those upcoming challenges, and pave the way to new educational models in line with our modern Jordanian society.
The proposed university will be a valuable addition to existing higher education institutions and its establishment now responds to the requirements of this current stage.
First: The founding of an applied university with specific focus on intermediate college education will provide direct supervision over the existing community colleges and will ensure that academic, professional and applied standards are applied and maintained. It will also facilitate further education under more favorable financial conditions for accomplished graduates whose socioeconomic backgrounds would have impeded their studies. Furthermore, it will provide those students with high potential with the opportunity to receive quality vocational and applied training and enable them to contribute actively in their societies.
Second: The founding of an applied university provides community colleges with sound leadership that is focused on applied and vocational training. This in turn, will not only reform applied and vocational training and education, but also raise its profile. Furthermore, a sound academic leadership will address and remedy the numerous issues that have plagued and hindered applied and vocational training and education colleges from meeting their goals so far, including administrative and organizational issues.
Third: The founding of an applied university that works to reform community colleges will eliminate the need to close these colleges down, particularly at a time where maintaining the current status quo would incur great academic, economic and administrative hardship, and negatively affect their education outputs.
Fourth: The founding of an applied university realizes the concept of sustainable education and offers flexible and advanced models to connect and streamline its different levels. Furthermore, it democratizes education as guaranteed in the Jordanian constitution, and encourages large student enrollment. It also reduces pressure on other state universities which in turn will improve the quality of education, scientific research and community service.
In view of this, and the rationale and need to respond to the national, regional and international challenges at the political, socio-economic and educational fields, the creation of an applied university in Jordan becomes a necessity that needs to be fully examined by a competent expert committee to ensure that it comes to fruition. Al-Salt city’s pioneering academic role and its rich history make it the ideal location for the establishment of this university. The university will reinforce the city’s role celebrate its rich heritage, honor the memory of the city’s pioneering graduates and link its glorious past to what we pray will be its bright and productive future. We have decided that his Highness Prince Ghazi bin Mohammad chair the Board of trustees, and we wish him and its members all success in their task.
May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon you,
Your brother, Al-Hussein,
Amman 7th of Rabi II 1417 A.H.,
corresponding to 22nd August 1996.