Khaberni - The King Abdullah II Fund for Development announced the winning of seven research projects by students from Jordanian universities as part of the university students’ research and creativity support project, in a step aimed at empowering youth and encouraging them to present innovative scientific solutions that contribute to addressing societal challenges and enhancing the knowledge economy.
In this regard, the general manager of the fund, Dr. Samer Al-Mifleh said that the support comes in the context of contributing to the development of the technical and vocational education and training system and in accordance with the economic modernization vision within the research, development, and innovation sector, in addition to enhancing investment in technology and artificial intelligence within curricula and educational processes, alongside building effective partnerships with the public and private sectors, which enhances graduates' readiness to engage in the job market.
The research and creativity support project is implemented in partnership with the Jordanian Design and Development Bureau (JODDB), aiming to support university students in developing their research projects and transforming their scientific ideas into practical applications that serve the community and enhance the innovation system in Jordan.
The project provides technical and financial support to university students during the implementation of their graduation projects, enabling them to develop their ideas and turn them into projects suitable for practical application, where the financial support for each project amounts to five thousand dinars, in addition to technical and technological guidance.
The winning projects included the development of a smart artificial arm that combines lightness and precision in motion and relies on artificial intelligence technologies and advanced sensors, presented by a team from Al-Balqa Applied University under the title (JoTouch). A project from Amman Arab University also won aims to develop a training system for electric vehicles using mixed reality technologies, which provides a safe and interactive educational environment for training students on high-voltage car systems.
From the Jordan University of Science and Technology, a project won focusing on developing radiation-shielding materials using bismuth nanoparticles within a polymer matrix, aimed at providing effective and lightweight protection in medical and industrial applications. The winning projects also included a project from the German Jordanian University to design and build a low-cost bioprinter capable of producing tissue structures using bio-ink that mimics the structure of natural tissues.
Furthermore, a project from the University of Jordan won for developing a smart assistant that supports doctors and residents in analyzing medical images such as CT scans and MRI using artificial intelligence and natural language technologies, contributing to support diagnosis and medical education. From the Al-Hussein Technical University, a project won for developing a drone system operating under the drone swarm concept, comprising a central drone and several subsidiary drones working collaboratively to execute autonomous tasks even in environments affected by communication jamming or positioning signals.
The support also included a research project from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Jordan aimed at producing retinal cells from stem cells taken from patients with genetic disorders of the retina, which contributes to the development of innovative treatments for retinal degenerative diseases and vision loss.
The research and creativity support project aims to enhance the spirit of innovation among students and encourage them to develop applicable and sustainable ideas or capable of being registered as patents, in addition to finding scientific solutions to the challenges facing local communities. The project aims to align with national projects that support the research field, especially the National Research Priorities project launched by the Higher Council for Technology.
It also strives to provide the necessary tools for students at public and private universities to innovate and create to implement their scientific applied research projects, and enable them to transform their ideas into practical solutions that can be implemented, in addition to providing them the opportunity to participate in international scientific events and acquire new skills and experiences that enhance their role in building a productive and effective community in the scientific and educational fields.
It is noted that the research and creativity support project for university students was launched in 2004, and since its establishment, it has supported (391) student project ideas, in addition to registering three patents, as part of the ongoing efforts of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development to enhance the role of youth in development, innovation, and contribution to national modernization pathways.
