General information about the higher education system in the country
The higher education sector in Jordan plays a pivotal role in the nation's comprehensive development. Over the past few decades, it has undergone significant expansion and transformation, becoming a key driver of economic, social, and intellectual progress.
There are both public and private higher education institutions governed by the Higher Education Council (HEC). HEC is chaired by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, with members from different sectors including Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions (AQACHEI), academics, military education, and experts from industry. HEC is the supreme authority that regulates all issues related to HE in Jordan. The Minister also chairs the Council of Scientific Research and Innovation Support Fund, which funds the innovative projects relevant to different disciplines.
The higher education sector has witnessed remarkable progress, marked by an increase in the number of institutions, enrollments, faculty members, administrative staff, and financial support. Jordan boasts ten public universities, twenty-one private universities, and forty-eight university and community colleges. This growth has led to a substantial rise in student enrolment, with nearly 379K students studying at both public and private universities, including 41K from 109 foreign countries.
Higher education in Jordan adopts a three-cycle system:
Bachelor's degrees vary from four to six years in duration, with medicine and surgery taking six years and other fields like engineering, pharmacy, and dentistry requiring five years. Most undergraduate programs last four years, leading to a B.Sc. or B.A. Master's degrees typically take one and a half to two years and can include a thesis or comprehensive exam. Some medical fields offer residency programs of three to four years, depending on the specialty. Doctorate degrees are available in selected fields.
Community colleges offer one- or two-year programs, leading to diplomas. Vocational higher education covers areas like administration, agriculture, tourism, and more, typically entered after high school, providing specialized training for specific professions.
Key performance indicators, such as enrollment rates, faculty expansion, government funding, and quality assurance through the Higher Education Accreditation Commission, are used to evaluate progress. Additionally, investments in library modernization, electronic connectivity, and research support have contributed to enhancing the sector's overall quality. The Ministry of Higher Education has focused on bridging the gap between higher education outputs and the labor market needs. This involves tailoring academic programs to meet the demands of specialized industries and fostering a skilled workforce that can drive economic growth. This strategy is particularly vital given the region's limited natural resources, making knowledge and human capital the nation's most valuable assets.
Information on recent policy updates, major reforms and related news
The Jordanian government had been actively implementing various reforms to enhance the quality and relevance of higher education:
- Recognition: MOHE recently updated the recognition procedure for the non-Jordanian higher education institutions. According to the new regulations, any HEI will be automatically recognized in Jordan if it falls in one of the following categories:
- Top 711 universities in the Shanghai ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities).
- Top 911 universities on QS World University Rankings.
Top 911 universities on Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
2. Jordan made significant progress in implementing the Jordan National Qualifications Framework (JNQF), which unifies academic and vocational qualifications into a 10-level system based on learning outcomes. This framework improves the perception of vocational education, bridges academic and vocational pathways, promotes lifelong learning, and aligns education with labor market needs.
3. AQACHEI issued regulations for integrating e-learning in HEIs, requiring institutions to include remote and blended learning in their programs. HEIs must adhere to specific guidelines, with 10-20% for remote learning and 30-40% for blended learning, distributed across all course levels.
4. The HEC approved a new secondary school system issued by the Ministry of Education, allowing students to choose between academic and vocational tracks, with ministerial exams in grades 11 and 12 influencing university specialization.
5. The HEC approved new standards for doctoral programs, focusing on strategic selection aligned with local market needs and university identity. These standards ensure program quality by benchmarking against top international universities and require prior experience to maintain postgraduate education expertise.
6. AQACHEI launched a platform linking labor market skills with HEI curricula. Professional associations will update the platform with job market demands, which AQACHEI will relay to HEIs for integration into their programs.
7. The Ministry of Higher Education has approved the introduction of new vocational and technical diploma programs at Jordanian universities, effective from the 2024-2025 academic year. These programs are designed to address the needs of local, regional, and international job markets and include areas such as Business Intelligence, Customs and Tax Sciences, and Cybersecurity, among others.8. The Ministry of Higher Education has launched 2 new unified admission platforms first one for two-year diploma programs, and the second one is a platform for the international students who want to study in Jordan. This new system simplifies and streamlines the application process, increases accessibility for a diverse range of students, ensures transparency and consistency in admission procedures, and improves processing efficiency.
Information about relevant projects and initiatives
N | Project name | Objectives | Length of project | Keywords | Links |
1 | Development of Remote and Virtual Laboratories for Teaching and Training Engineering Students in the South Mediterranean and Sub- Saharan Higher Education Institutions | The objective of the project is to improve the adaptability of education in participating countries, introducing innovative methods, enhancing curricula, and aligning higher education with labor market needs and societal requirements. | 2023-2025 | Remote and Take-Home Labs | |
| 2 | Enhancing ICT Competencies of Early Childhood Educators at HEIs in MENA Countries/ ICT4EDU | To enhance the digital competence of student teachers entering teacher education programs. It aims to achieve this by developing new teaching methods and ICT tools, promoting best practices in ECE digital competences, improving the professional skills of teaching staff, integrating various components of the education system, delivering updated ICT-based courses | 3yrs | Early childhood education, ICT, Competencies | https://sites.ju.edu.jo/en /ICT4EDU/home.aspx |
| 3 | Disability as diversity: The inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education | Establishing an “Inclusive Education Unit” that follows the international standards with the objective of equality in education, activities, and services for students with disabilities. Edu4ALL is an innovative project to empower students with disabilities academically, socially, and psychologically. | 3 yrs | Inclusion | https://erasmus-plus.ec. europa.eu/projects/search /details/618103-EPP-1-2020- 1-PS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
4 | Bologna for Science Education in Palestine and Jordan | It aims to enhance higher education in Palestine and Jordan by implementing the Bologna Process in a programme from the science colleges at each partner university. The project will apply Bologna standards and principles to develop these chosen programmes, creating curricula aligned with the Bologna's framework and establishing a supportive context and environment at each higher education institution. | 3 yrs | Bologna process Quality | Check the EU portal |
5 | MEasuring innovation in mediterranean countries: Development and Use of a Proper metric | The MED-UP project aims to develop Civic University models, identify best practices for fostering innovation in the MENA region, and establish indicators to measure progress in idea generation, quality, and implementation, ultimately enhancing National Innovation Systems and innovation performance. | 3 yrs | Innovation, e University-Industry-Government-Society cooperation | Check the EU portal
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