​

The University of Jordan (UJ), Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, and Zain Jordan, signed a cooperation agreement to establish the country’s first specialized esports and game development center within the university’s academy at its main campus, a strategic milestone in higher education innovation in Jordan.

The agreement was signed at the ministry’s headquarters in the presence of Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Samara, UJ President Prof. Nathir Obeidat, and  Zain Jordan CEO Fahad Al-Jasim, and, along with officials from all three parties.

The partnership reflects an advanced model of public-private-academic cooperation aimed at creating a fully equipped digital game and esports hub, the first of its kind at any Jordanian university, aligning with the national vision for economic modernization, which includes esports as a key growth sector.

Samara said the agreement is part of implementing Jordan’s National Strategy for Esports and Digital Games 2023–2027. The UJ centre, he added, is a pivotal step in integrating esports into academic settings and strengthening education and research in digital game development. He said the project will help uncover and nurture talent, equipping students across disciplines with the digital skills needed for today’s global economy, while supporting entrepreneurship and opening new economic opportunities in areas like game design, streaming, and e-arbitration.

Obeidat commended the partnership, describing it as a key bridge between academic study and practical skills, noting that UJ had already brought in specialists at the King Abdullah II School of Information Technology outside the standard hiring framework to meet the needs of this emerging field.

“We urgently need to integrate digital production into our curricula,” Obeidat said, “and move from purely academic teaching to a skills-based learning environment. This new center opens the door for students to build and develop their own digital games, helping us realize our goals for innovation and leadership.”

Zain CEO Al Jasim said the initiative underscores the company’s commitment to supporting youth and reflects the success of Zain Esports Jo, launched in 2020 and now one of the region’s largest esports communities.

The new center will host tournaments and esports events, run workshops and training sessions in game development and digital content creation, and connect students with Zain’s innovation platform ZINC giving them access to a broader network of experts and entrepreneurs.

Zain will also provide the center with high-speed wired and wireless internet for free, along with carefully designed interactive spaces to help students sharpen their creative and technical skills, supervised by a specialized team and managed by the university.

The center is expected to become a magnet for students interested in esports and entrepreneurship, positioning JU as a national hub for innovation and digital education.