Suha Alsubaihi
The King Abdullah II School of Information Technology at the University of Jordan (UJ) celebrated today its 25th anniversary (Silver Jubilee) with a distinguished Scientific Day held under the patronage of UJ President, Prof. Nathir Obeidat, in the presence of the university’s vice presidents, dean of the school, faculty and administrative staff, students, and partners from both the public and private sectors.
In his address, Obeidat emphasized that the school represents a model of academic and technological leadership in Jordan and the region. He said, “Today we stand in a school that begins its name with the King of the country and ends with Technology and Information. This is not just a name, but a commitment to be at the forefront of digital transformation, and to become producers of knowledge, not merely consumers of it.”
Addressing the school community, he added: “Reaching a top-50 global ranking among IT schools is an achievement we take pride in, but maintaining this position is harder than reaching it. The future will not wait for the hesitant, and its leadership will be granted to those who prepare early.”
He further noted that “the Scientific Day provides an opportunity to explore students’ projects and the school’s distinctive initiatives,” He concluded his remarks by urging students and faculty members to continue working with persistence to enhance Jordan’s position in the knowledge economy.
Dean of the School, Prof. Basel Mahafzah, explained that since its establishment in 2000 under the directions of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the school has focused on preparing specialized IT professionals to meet the needs of local and global markets. He highlighted recent qualitative developments, including the launch of advanced programs in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Software Development, as well as joint programs with other university schools and professional programs in collaboration with the private sector.
Mahafzah also pointed to the school’s academic and research achievements, including national and international program accreditations, progress in global rankings, notably ranking Computer Science and Information Systems among the top 100 according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, publishing over 450 Scopus-indexed research papers in the past three years, and listing eight faculty members among the top 2% of scientists globally according to the Stanford-Elsevier classification.
During the Scientific Day, Obeidat inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratories, established with the support of the school’s partners, and was briefed on the latest technical equipment and advanced robots designed for student training. This reflects the school’s integrated approach between theoretical and practical education and its commitment to enhancing its position as an academic and pioneering center for Information Technology at both local and regional levels.
The Scientific Day also included a video presentation highlighting the school’s academic and research achievements, a presentation on the Game Development Forum delivered by Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Dr. Abdelbaset Assaf with participation from students Nour Al-Din Al-Bustangi and Eyad Abu Zeina, an awards ceremony honoring supporters and outstanding students, and a showcase of student projects and digital forums in the school lobby.