Amman: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Regent, attended the opening of the Third Honorary Professors Forum at the University of Jordan, as announced by a royal court statement. The event, themed "Universities Driving National Innovation Ecosystems," gathered emeritus professors, university vice-chancellors, and academics from 17 countries, aiming to create a platform for scientific exchange and collaboration across various fields and cultures.
According to Jordan News Agency, UJ President Nathir Obeidat emphasized the university's commitment to adapting to scientific and technological advances. He highlighted the development of high-quality programmes aimed at nurturing future leaders and mentioned plans for establishing a technical college. The Crown Prince participated in the forum's opening session, which included a lecture by AI expert Omar Hatamleh on the rapid changes in the labour market driven by artificial intelligence.
The two-day forum is concentrating on connecting academia with the Jordanian economy, with discussions on entrepreneurship, university spin-offs, research commercialization, university-industry collaboration, technology in education, academic transformation, and health biotechnology. His Royal Highness also inaugurated the Science Venture Foundry, a platform designed to transform research into investment-ready start-ups. During a tour, UJ Vice President Ashraf Abu Karaky briefed the Crown Prince on the foundry's focus on innovation and collaboration with the private sector, aimed at advancing national economic goals.