The IEEE Student Branch at the Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology at Yarmouk University has won the Outstanding Student Branch Award for 2025, an award granted to the most distinguished student branches within IEEE Region 8, which includes Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Student Branch earned this prestigious award in recognition of its exceptional activities and initiatives over the past year, as well as its continuous and dedicated efforts that distinguished it from other student branches across both technical and non-technical fields. Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Awad Al-Zoubi, emphasized that this achievement represents a major milestone in the branch’s journey. He noted that winning the Outstanding Student Branch Award across three continents reflects the culture of excellence that the faculty strives to foster. He also expressed pride in the branch’s students, who have demonstrated that Jordanian engineers are capable of competing at the highest international levels and producing technical outcomes that meet global standards. For his part, Ali Al-Jawahra, Chair of the IEEE Student Branch for 2025, stated that the award is the result of continuous hard work and effective planning, which strengthened the branch’s position and enabled it to achieve this honor. He added that this award marks the tenth award earned by the branch this year, noting that it also received the Best Student Branch Award at the national level, in addition to several other awards that reflect its excellence and creativity.
The President of Yarmouk University, Prof. Malek A. Alsharairi, and the Director of the Higher Education for Innovation and Growth Project, Dr. Abdullah Ali Abdullah, signed a memorandum of understanding between the two parties to coordinate efforts in implementing the HEIG project. The project is supported by the U.S. Department of State and implemented through the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) in the medical manufacturing sector.
The memorandum aims to support the university’s efforts to improve its core functions and enhance its institutional efficiency through the implementation of the project in cooperation with Virginia Tech University in the United States and the Business and Professional Women Association.
The memorandum stipulates the formation of a technical committee to manage and facilitate the project’s activities, the allocation of the necessary human resources for its implementation, the review of institutional performance improvement plans, and the assessment of institutional capacities.
Under the memorandum, the university will host and support the Collaborative Catalytic Consortium in Medical Manufacturing (C3), mobilize researchers in relevant fields of study as active members of the consortium, and enhance industrial cooperation among them. In addition, the university will participate in the network of higher education institutions to be established during the project and take part in the workshops held as part of its activities.
The memorandum also stipulates that IREX will cooperate with the university in implementing a higher education institutional capacity assessment tool and in developing an action plan to improve performance, in order to guide and coordinate the technical and material assistance provided to the university within a specified timeline. IREX will also ensure the provision of the necessary material resources to the university based on the assessment results and in accordance with the performance improvement plan.
During the signing ceremony, Alsharairi affirmed that cooperation with the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) represents one of the successful and effective partnerships that have enabled the university to participate in the implementation of several pioneering and distinguished projects. He emphasized the university’s continued commitment to strengthening and supporting networking with the private and industrial sectors in a manner that serves the educational, research, and training processes at the university.
He also praised the outstanding level of the project team from the Hijjawi Faculty for Engineering Technology, as well as the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, and their efforts to advance the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector and activate applied programs and studies that positively reflect on community service and development on the one hand, and on the advancement of the applied aspect in the university’s various faculties on the other.
For his part, Dr. Abdullah commended Yarmouk University’s strong academic reputation and the academic competencies it encompasses, which are capable of employing their knowledge and expertise in serving and developing communities. He noted that throughout the project’s implementation phases, networking between the university and the industrial sector will be strengthened in a way that embodies the concept of integrating academia with industry and ensures the optimal utilization of the university’s capabilities in conducting studies and implementing programs related to pharmaceutical manufacturing.
A research team from the Hijjawi College of Technological Engineering at Yarmouk University, including student Qabas Al-Batoush and supervised by Professor Mohammad Al-Tamimi from the Civil Engineering Department, won second place in the Scientific Research Award for Jordanian University Students – 27th edition for 2025 (after the first place was withheld).The team won for their research titled: “The Interaction Between Royal Empowerment, the University Environment, and Digital Media and Its Impact on Shaping Intellectual Transformations Among Jordanian University Youth (2020–2024).”The team was honored during a ceremony held at the University of Jordan, under the patronage of the University President, Professor Natheer Obeidat, and in the presence of the Vice Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies at Yarmouk University, Professor Raafat Al-Shorman.The award is supervised by a higher committee that includes several Jordanian universities and academic institutions, including Yarmouk University, represented by the Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies, Professor Muawia Khattabeh, a member of the supervising committee. He emphasized the importance of the award in discovering outstanding research capabilities among university students.In its current edition , the award offered 18 research topics under three main frameworks: local Jordanian, Arab-Islamic and the Arab-Israeli conflict, and international. The session witnessed broad participation from Jordanian university students, while the first prize was withheld due to no competitor meeting the required standard.Professor Awad Al-Zaben, Dean of the Hijjawi College of Technological Engineering, stated that this achievement reflects the high level of research excellence at the college and its commitment to supporting creative students and enabling them to actively participate in national scientific awards. He highlighted that scientific research is at the core of the college’s academic priorities.He also noted that this win embodies the university’s vision of promoting a research culture and linking academic knowledge to national and societal issues, emphasizing Yarmouk University’s continuous care for students and faculty members, and its pride in achievements that elevate the university’s name in scientific forums.Professor Mohammad Al-Tamimi, the research supervisor, affirmed that this achievement is the result of serious collaborative research work and organized scientific effort, reflecting students’ awareness of the importance of rigorous research. He emphasized the role of academic supervision in refining students’ research skills and transforming their ideas into scientific studies capable of competing at the national level.This scientific achievement highlights the pivotal role of the Hijjawi College of Technological Engineering in promoting a research culture, creating an academic environment conducive to creativity and excellence, and linking engineering knowledge with contemporary societal and intellectual issues, contributing to preparing young cadres capable of critical thinking, competition, and leadership at both national and regional levels.It is noteworthy that the Scientific Research Award for Jordanian University Students has been held annually since 1998 according to approved scientific and evaluation standards, with the 28th edition scheduled to launch at the beginning of 2026.
The Council of Deans at Yarmouk University, chaired by the President of the University and Chairman of the Council, Prof. Malek A. Alsharaari, approved the Graduate Student Stipend Regulations for postgraduate students. The regulations will come into effect starting from the beginning of the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. Prof. Alsharaari stated that the approval of these regulations aims to attract academically outstanding students. He explained that, for the first time, the regulations include international students as well as distinguished individuals with scientific, innovative, and research talents. He noted that supporting and empowering these students through the University’s graduate programs will enrich the academic programs and learning environment with high-achieving students, enhance the quality of academic outputs, and contribute to building distinguished human capacities that support the University’s advancement. He stressed the importance of these regulations in fostering a spirit of competition among graduate students and promoting values of excellence and academic achievement, which will contribute to creating a high-quality graduate studies environment rich in competencies. Prof. Alsharaari also pointed out that applicants for the stipends will be subject to a competitive selection process based on specific criteria designed to achieve the objectives of the stipends, including academic excellence, talent, skills, and capabilities. Eligible applications will be reviewed and evaluated, leading to the preparation of a list of top-ranked candidates according to these criteria. The list will then be submitted by the relevant committee to the Council of Deans to make the appropriate decision. For his part, the Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies, Prof. Muawiya Khattatbeh, stated that, according to the regulations, the Deanship of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies will announce the availability of the stipends well in advance of the beginning of each academic semester to ensure attracting the best and most distinguished candidates. He added that the stipend grant includes a financial allowance and/or a tuition fee reduction awarded to students in return for specific tasks and duties assigned to them in accordance with the provisions of the regulations. He explained that the stipends are divided into two types: a stipend for teaching and research assistance or temporary employment for Jordanian students, and a stipend designated for international students. Prof. Khattatbeh noted that the duration of the stipend is one academic semester, renewable on a semester-by-semester basis for up to four semesters, with the possibility of extension for an additional two semesters upon the recommendation of the relevant committee and in accordance with the University’s interests. He emphasized that the regulations specify the value of the financial allowance and tuition fee reductions, the scope of duties assigned to stipend recipients, as well as the qualifications, competencies, and conditions required to apply for the stipends. They also outline the procedures for application and selection, in addition to the duties, responsibilities, leaves, and permissions granted to stipend holders.
The President of Yarmouk University, Prof. Dr. Malek A. Alsharaari, held an extensive strategic retreat that brought together members of the strategic plan preparation committees, vice presidents and assistants to the president, as well as deans and directors of all faculties, deanships, and organizational units. The retreat comes as part of ongoing efforts to complete the update and development of the University’s Strategic Plan for the years 2026–2030.
During the retreat, Prof. Dr. Alsharaari emphasized that updating the strategic plan is based on a thorough review of the initial draft, with the aim of making it more forward-looking, opportunity-oriented, and responsive to the key challenges facing the University in the present and coming years. He noted that the updated plan reflects Yarmouk University’s true institutional capabilities and ambitions at both the national and international levels, especially as it coincides with the University’s 50th anniversary.
He pointed out that the revised version of the strategic plan has undergone substantial development in its structure and content, including the vision, mission, and institutional values. The plan also features a recalibration of strategic focus areas to ensure alignment with financial sustainability requirements, efficient resource utilization, international quality assurance and accreditation frameworks, institutional excellence, global ranking standards, governance and accountability requirements, graduate competitiveness, innovation, entrepreneurship, and achieving tangible societal and economic impact.
Prof. Dr. Alsharaari explained that the updated vision focuses on consolidating Yarmouk University’s position as a leading comprehensive university that is future-oriented and distinguished in education, research, and innovation. It aims to serve as a hub for attracting and developing talent, contributing to sustainable development, and creating lasting international impact across generations. The revised mission, he added, underscores future-ready education, impactful research, and effective local and international partnerships within an enabling and motivating academic environment.
He further noted that the developed strategic plan expands priority focus areas to include students, talents, and graduates; community and cultural engagement; internationalization and global presence; future education and employability; innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry linkage; financial sustainability and reviewing the University’s core business model; operational efficiency; institutional excellence; digital transformation; and the development of infrastructure and a sustainable campus.
Prof. Dr. Alsharaari stressed that the final version of the strategic plan will serve as an evidence-based strategic roadmap guiding institutional decision-making, resource allocation, and performance evaluation in the coming years, in line with the University’s mission, public responsibility, and pioneering role.
At the conclusion of the retreat, Prof. Dr. Alsharaari expressed his appreciation for the participation of all attendees, emphasizing that collective contribution and integration between academic and administrative leadership form the cornerstone for reaching an ambitious and implementable strategic plan that reflects Yarmouk University’s standing and supports its future trajectory.
Yarmouk University hosted Professor Omar Hatamleh, one of the world’s leading thought leaders in the field of artificial intelligence, in a scientific lecture on the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the future. The lecture was attended by the President of the University, Professor Malek A. Alsharairi, along with members of the academic and administrative staff and students, and was held in the main hall of the Conference Building.
Hatamleh stated that artificial intelligence has become present in all aspects of life and that AI is now capable of changing the future, which necessitates adapting to the changes it brings across all areas of work and daily life.
The lecture included several key themes, during which Hatamleh discussed future technologies and artificial intelligence. He explained that AI has existed theoretically since the 1950s, but that the year 2022 marked a real turning point with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence. This development transformed AI from a tool used by experts into a technology accessible to the general public, resulting in widespread concerns related to jobs, the economy, privacy, and human decision-making.
He added that the Industrial Revolution replaced manual labor, whereas artificial intelligence targets intellectual and cognitive work. He highlighted applications of AI in the medical field, noting the possibility of analyzing a patient’s gait to predict neurological diseases, diagnosing patients through voice tone, and using thermal diagnostics by analyzing temperature differences in the face to make medical decisions. He emphasized that these technologies already exist and are currently in use, not science fiction, and that systems are capable of integrating medical, financial, and insurance data in less than a second.
Hatamleh pointed out that artificial intelligence may resort to deception to achieve its goals, and that the greatest concern is the loss of control and misalignment between human goals and those of AI. He likened artificial intelligence to a “black box,” meaning that despite understanding its technical structure, the decision-making mechanisms are still not fully understood.
He also addressed the stages of AI development, ethical considerations, existential challenges, and the need for ethical frameworks that include transparency, safety, privacy, and democratic values.
Regarding the future of work, the economy, and migration, Hatamleh said that the transformation of work will be gradual: humans work, AI works and humans supervise, and eventually AI works entirely. He remarked that intellectual jobs will be affected first, while humanoid robots will later impact manual labor, leading to changes in the labor market, retirement systems, and migration patterns. This could result in a crisis of meaning and human identity due to the loss of traditional occupational roles.
At the conclusion of the lecture, AlSharairi expressed the University’s pride in Hatamleh, noting that inspiring today’s generations by presenting such a successful role model, returning to the homeland, delivering lectures, and giving back to society is of great importance. He also expressed the University community’s appreciation for Hatamleh for the valuable, scientific, and realistic content he presented, which enriched the audience’s knowledge about artificial intelligence and its role in shaping the future.
The lecture witnessed an interactive atmosphere, during which attendees presented a number of scientific interventions and questions related to the topic of the lecture and the ideas and scientific perspectives it addressed.
The President of Yarmouk University, Prof. Malek A. Alsharaari, met with Dr. Marco Farsi, Director General of the Italian organization Famic, which specializes in the internationalization of Italian universities and corporate development, to discuss potential avenues of cooperation aimed at establishing academic and research partnerships with Italian universities.
During the meeting, Prof. Alsharaari emphasized that, in line with its strategic plan, Yarmouk University is consistently committed to forging academic, research, and cultural partnerships with international universities and educational institutions, contributing to the creation of a learning environment that brings together students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
He welcomed Famic’s orientation toward strengthening cooperation with Yarmouk University in the field of nursing, noting that such collaboration would provide opportunities for graduates of the Faculty of Nursing to work in Italy or pursue postgraduate studies while further developing their skills at Italian universities affiliated with the organization. This would ultimately enable them to access employment opportunities in the Italian health sector. Prof. Alsharaari also pointed out that the Faculty of Nursing, as one of the University’s newest faculties, includes distinguished academic and research competencies and is keen to equip its students with the necessary nursing knowledge and professional skills.
Prof. Alsharaari presented an overview of Yarmouk University and highlighted its vision for modernization and development in the coming years, as well as its focus on deepening concepts of leadership and innovation across various academic fields, to become an attractive environment for students from around the world and a hub for academic cooperation, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
For his part, Dr. Farsi explained that the Famic organization includes six Italian universities: Turin, Rome, Pisa, Venice, Perugia, and Tuscia, and seeks to strengthen networking and enhance academic and research cooperation between Italian universities and universities worldwide.
He added that, in his capacity as an advisor to the President of the Lombardy Region in northern Italy, the region is looking forward to professional and academic cooperation with Yarmouk University to recruit graduates of the Faculty of Nursing to work in the Italian health sector. He outlined the required conditions for recruitment and pointed to the possibility of establishing a joint Italian–Jordanian Faculty of Nursing that would award a joint degree, enabling its graduates to work directly in the Italian health sector.
The meeting also discussed prospects for joint efforts to develop shared academic programs between Yarmouk University and Italian universities, allowing students from both sides to obtain degrees from both institutions, thereby enhancing graduates’ employment opportunities in Italy and across the European Union.
Yarmouk University has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, aiming to strengthen the university’s scientific role in producing rigorous Arabic knowledge and to actively contribute to the development of the Arabica Encyclopedia. The agreement reflects Yarmouk University’s standing as a leading Arab institution in scientific research and in serving the Arabic language.
The MoU was signed by the President of Yarmouk University, Professor Malek A. Alsharairi, and the Director General of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Dr. Azmi Bishara, in a step that embodies the university’s academic stature and its institutional engagement in Arab knowledge projects with wide regional impact.
The memorandum emphasizes Yarmouk University’s direct contribution to enriching the encyclopedia’s content by utilizing the specialized academic expertise of its faculty members and students. It also encourages them to prepare encyclopedic entries in accordance with the highest internationally recognized methodological and academic standards, ensuring quality, accuracy, and reliability.
In recognition of the university’s academic and societal role, the MoU stipulates that the encyclopedic contributions of participating faculty members may be counted within the framework of community service.
Under the agreement, the Arab Center commits to highlighting Yarmouk University’s institutional identity by placing its logo on the encyclopedia’s main page, in addition to displaying the author’s name, academic affiliation with the university, and a brief profile of their scholarly achievements. This will enhance the university’s presence and influence within the Arab digital knowledge space.
The memorandum also includes a training and developmental dimension through the establishment of a specialized training program for Yarmouk University’s graduate students, aimed at enhancing their research and professional readiness. Furthermore, priority will be given to Yarmouk University faculty members in reviewing and refereeing scientific materials submitted for publication in the encyclopedia, reaffirming the university’s role in quality assurance and rigorous academic evaluation.
Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Professor Alsharairi stated that this partnership embodies Yarmouk University’s national and Arab mission to support the Arabic language as the identity of the nation and the vessel of its civilization. He stressed that the university views the encyclopedia as a strategic Arab knowledge project. He added that Yarmouk University, with its rich academic and scientific legacy, will continue to play its pioneering role in building Arab and human thought and in strengthening reliable digital content in line with rapid digital transformations.
It is worth noting that the Arabica Encyclopedia aims to produce a comprehensive online encyclopedia that serves as a primary reference for the Arab reader, providing accurate knowledge content prepared according to the highest academic standards. The project seeks to bridge the digital knowledge gap and enhance the global presence of Arab knowledge.
The Faculty of Law at Yarmouk University has achieved a remarkable academic milestone, with seven of its graduates earning admission to the Jordanian Judicial Institute’s Diploma Program for the 2025–2026 academic year; out of 24 students accepted.
The admitted graduates from Yarmouk’s Faculty of Law are:
- Thamer Ghazi Sultan Qabalan
- Banah Jamil Turki Al-Ali
- Rashid Samer Tayseer Ghazawi
- Raghad Mohammad Ali Al-Alauneh
- Qusai Hael Nahar Hijazi
- Mohammad Khaled Abdulqader Al-Sharman
- Moataz Abdulkarim Fankhour Al-Khawaldeh
Dean of the Faculty, Professor Mohammad Al-Bashayreh, stated that this achievement reflects the high academic and practical caliber of the college’s graduates, the dedication of its faculty members, and the strength of its academic programs in preparing qualified national legal professionals.
He added that these results embody the college’s mission to cultivate a generation of legally proficient graduates—both academically and practically—while promoting legal awareness as a vital societal need. This aligns with the college’s vision to become a leading institution among Arab law schools and a destination of choice for distinguished legal scholars and students pursuing advanced legal studies.
The preparation of scientific competencies in various fields of knowledge, and the production of innovative scientific research aims to serve society by providing exemplary education in an intellectually stimulating university environment.
