Khaberni - As part of the efforts to enhance mutual cooperation and build strategic partnerships between Amman Arab University and higher education institutions and national entities supporting scientific research, innovative ideas and projects, Professor Mohammad Al-Widian, President of Amman Arab University, welcomed in his office Engineer Moaz Al-Alawin, Director of the National Fund to Support Institutions (NAFES), and Engineer Abeer Al-Ramadneh, Director of the Scientific Research and Industrial Development Fund at the Higher Council for Science and Technology, with the presence of Dr. Samer Ayasrah, Director of the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Business at the university.
During the meeting, discussions on the prospects of joint cooperation between Amman Arab University and the Higher Council for Science and Technology took place, especially in the field of applied scientific research support, enhancing the partnership between the academic sector and the industrial sector, contributing to transforming scientific research outputs into practical solutions with economic and developmental impact, and enhancing the national innovation system as well as improving the performance of small and medium private sector institutions by enhancing their efficiency and increasing their local, regional, and global competitiveness.
In this regard, Dr. Al-Widian emphasized, during the meeting, Amman Arab University's commitment to expanding cooperation with national institutions supporting scientific research and innovation. He noted that applied scientific research is a priority within its strategic plan, aiming to link academic and research programs to the needs of the labor market and productive sectors, which contributes to supporting the national economy and achieving sustainable development. Dr. Al-Widian also reviewed the research capabilities of the university, including academic staff and researchers specialized in various fields, in addition to specialized centers concerned with innovation and entrepreneurship, affirming the university's readiness to utilize these capabilities in implementing joint research projects that serve industrial development priorities, build researcher and student capacities, and enhance the culture of innovation within the university environment.
For his part, Engineer Al-Alawin highlighted the role of the National Fund to Support Institutions (NAFES) in empowering institutions, supporting value-added projects, and enhancing the integration between research outputs and market needs, emphasizing the importance of cooperation with universities as they are a primary partner in the innovation system, and a fundamental source of research ideas and solutions that are amenable to development and application.
Engineer Al-Ramadneh reviewed the role of the Scientific Research and Industrial Development Fund at the Higher Council for Science and Technology, its goals in supporting joint applied research between universities and the industrial sector, enhancing knowledge and technology transfer, and increasing the competitiveness of the Jordanian industrial sector. She detailed the mechanisms for benefiting from the fund's programs, the application criteria, and the importance of forming joint research teams comprising academic researchers and industrial sector partners to achieve the desired impact.
The two parties also discussed the possibility of organizing introductory and training workshops within the university for faculty members, researchers, and students, to introduce the available support programs, mechanisms for preparing research proposals, and encouraging applications for joint applied research projects that address industrial challenges and support marketable innovation.
At the end of the meeting, both parties affirmed the importance of continuing coordination and communication, working on establishing a practical framework for joint cooperation, which includes implementing joint research and development projects, organizing scientific and awareness events, and exchanging expertise, thereby enhancing the role of Amman Arab University and the Higher Council for Science and Technology in supporting applied scientific research and innovation, and contributing to achieving sustainable development goals and building a knowledge-based national economy.
