​Called by the University of Jordan (UJ) President, Prof. Nathir Obaidat, an academic retreat convened in the city of Aqaba on Wednesday, to review the university’s achievements, envision its future, and address global HE challenges and rapid developments in the arena.

Chaired by Obaidat, the retreat brought together the university’s vice presidents, deans from the main campus and Aqaba branch, academic and administrative leaders, as well as several directors of centers, units, and administrative departments.

During the meeting, Obaidat emphasized that the university is progressing steadily, making significant strides in global rankings, underscoring the need of maintaining this momentum, building upon past successes, and achieving even greater accomplishments.

He restated the urgent need to rapidly adapt to the accelerating changes in higher education, necessitating a practical approach to reshaping the educational process. This, he explained, requires a clear understanding of the university's place in the future and what society expects from universities, as well as what universities can offer in return.

Obeidat, vice presidents, deans, faculty members, and administrators sought to establish a new framework for the relationship between universities and society, focusing in their discussions on understanding social expectations and defining the role universities can play, resulting in a set of applicable plans.

The academic retreat, not the first of its kind, also examined two of the university’s major projects: digital transformation and the enhancement of students’ soft skills. The university’s career preparation program was also discussed as part of a concerted effort to respond to new realities and evolving demands.

Obeidat pointed out that the university is in the final stages of completing revisions, updates, and modernizations of all its academic programs with an aim to make curricula more contemporary, aligned with labor market demands, and integrated with new technologies.

He called for the development of a comprehensive vision for the continuous enhancement of soft skills programs, ensuring that every student acquires the necessary competencies relevant to their field, including fundamental skills for personal and professional success such as interpersonal communication, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, resilience, adaptability, and empathy.

Furthermore, Obaidat emphasized the need for the university to dedicate significant efforts to fostering strong partnerships with business, industry, and financial sectors to bridge the gap between academia and research outputs and the needs of local, regional, and global markets. Such collaborations would also facilitate the exchange of ideas beyond academic boundaries, enabling greater engagement with external stakeholders in education and research, eventually driving development and prosperity.

In this context, Obaidat affirmed that these initiatives represent a national project that aligns with royal directives and Jordan’s modernization vision. Their ultimate goal is to safeguard the future of Jordanian generations, empowering them to be the true drivers of the nation’s growth and prosperity.