Higher education minister outlines vision for 3 new medical universities

AMMAN — Three new private medical universities are expected to open in the next three years, with an estimated investment volume of JD300 million, Higher Education Minister Muhyiddine Touq said on Friday.

The Cabinet has recently approved the initial licences for the universities, including the capital-based Ammon University for Medical Sciences, the Jordan New University of Medicine and the University of Aqaba for Medical Sciences in Aqaba Governorate to serve the southern part of the Kingdom, provided that they meet certain criteria.

The government stipulated that the universities allocate 90 per cent of their operational cost to forming qualified cadres, granting scholarships and establishing facilities, a move that protects the Kingdom's public universities and stimulates various sectors, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Under the decision, the universities must ensure that the number of non-Jordanian students consists of no less than 60 per cent, with at least 360 students a year, Touq added. 

To ensure quality education, the government also required the establishment of university hospitals to be affiliated with the private medical universities, he said, pointing out that establishing a medical university in Aqaba, some 330km south of Amman, will alleviate pressure on the capital's medical sector and provide training opportunities and advanced services.

The envisioned university hospital in the southern region would also attract patients from the Arab Gulf states, he added.

The three new local universities will enter partnerships with reputable institutions ranked among the world's top 500 universities, including George Washington University, Queen's University Belfast, Dublin University College and University of Texas, Petra reported.

The universities are also responsible for attracting Arab and foreign students, the minister said, stressing the government's readiness to provide necessary support related to residency issues.