Khaberni - With heavy good rains and cold weather yesterday Tuesday, the sun shone on the first day of the Times Higher Education Summit for Arab Universities 2025 in the realms of Al-Ahliyya Amman University.
This summit, hosted by Al-Ahliyya Amman University in collaboration with the Jordanian University, is the first of its kind in Jordan, hosting a global event of this caliber since the establishment of the Times rankings, which reflects international confidence in the status of Jordanian universities and their ability to organize high-level academic events.
The conference events began in the presence of Mr. Phil Baty, Chief of Global Affairs for Times Higher Education, along with several professors responsible for the Times rankings, Dr. Maher Al-Hourani, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Directors Board at Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Prof. Sari Hamdan, President of the University, the deans, and a crowd from the university's teaching and administrative staff, a number of academics from the Jordanian University and other Jordanian universities, as well as the acting head of the Saudi Cultural Attaché, Professor Dr. Mohammad Al-Shammari, and a group of university presidents, policy makers and researchers, with delegations from more than 20 Arab and international countries participating.
In the opening session, Prof. Dr. Sari Hamdan, President of Al-Ahliyya Amman University, stated that hosting the summit represents a significant milestone in enhancing Jordan's position on the global higher education map, pointing out that Al-Ahliyya Amman University has entered the global category 401-500 according to the Times rankings, reflecting the significant efforts to improve education quality, scientific research, and academic innovation.
He also emphasized that the summit provides a strategic opportunity to deepen cooperation with international universities and enhance dialogue about the future of higher education and innovation in the Arab world.
On his part, Phil Baty, Chief of Global Affairs for Times Higher Education, praised the notable progress of Jordanian universities and their ability to organize an event of this magnitude, affirming that Jordan has become a promising model in the region in terms of education quality and scientific research.
Under the title "Distinguished Host," Prof. Dr. Ahmad Hamdan, Vice President of Al-Ahliyya Amman University gave a speech titled (Ready for the Future and United: Developing the Vision and Implementing the Strategy), in which he reviewed the university's strategic vision and the progress it has achieved in international rankings and various fields.
Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Hajri, President of Khalifa University, presented a vision on reimagining the Arab university: from research to leading innovation, emphasizing the importance of scientific research and developing and directing innovation and invention leadership.
The first day of the summit witnessed specialized sessions discussing:
• A dialogue about the digital future and artificial intelligence in academic circles.
• Focus on protecting examinations in the era of artificial intelligence by Professor Amal Damashqi, the Regional Director - Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey
• This was followed by an open dialogue on designing institutions to cause change and impact, spoken by Professors: Juliet Rossel correspondent, and Victoria Lindsey, Deputy President of the British University in Iraq, and Yusra Mzoughi, Dean of the University of Birmingham Dubai.
• And in the axis: From campus to commercial marketing spoke the Professors: Reem Al-Fayez, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at the Jordanian University, Allam Ahmed, Founding President of the World Association for Sustainable Development, Abdullah Elias, Director of Rankings and Institutional Strategy and Development - Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, and Marcello Scalisi, Director of the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED).
• This was followed by an advanced seminar in Data: Times Rankings for Arab Universities 2025, spoken by Professors: Wael Mansour, Senior Director for Client Success, and Hannah Peacock, Head of Impact Rankings at Times Higher Education.
• In the axis of Building a Digital-First University Strategy, the professors spoke:
Saeed Al Dhaheri, Director of the Center for Future Studies at Dubai University, and Amal Damashqi, Regional Director - Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, Riyad Hamza, President of the Royal University for Women, and Iman Mujahed, Assistant Vice President for Digital Transformation, Head of Strategy and Knowledge Department at the American University in Cairo, and Jordan Sorour, Assistant Dean of Educational Resources and Innovation at the Lebanese American University.
• And in the axis of Innovation Ecosystems: From Research to Regional Impact spoke: Solveig Nicklos, Managing Director at X Consulting, Rami Beram, Vice President for Research at United Arab Emirates University "Associate for Research", Jehina Ghareeb, Professor and UNESCO Chair Holder at Monobeh University, Ghassan Sa'id, Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at Wayne State University, and Miriam Safir, Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women - Lebanese American University
• The participants praised the high level of organization and the advanced technical structure provided by Al-Ahliyya Amman University, along with coordination with the Times Higher Education (THE) team to ensure high quality in all events.
• The first day's events ended yesterday Tuesday with interactive discussion sessions focused on building international partnerships and exchanging expertise between academic institutions, with the summit continuing today Wednesday with a series of specialized sessions addressing innovation, academic excellence, and entrepreneurship.
