The University of Jordan (UJ) President, Prof. Nathir Obeidat, and tertiary education expert at the World Bank, Jamil Salmi, on Sunday discussed means of joint cooperation.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed mechanisms for improving the Jordan's higher education institutions and raising their efficiency to reach sustainability, as well as finding solutions to their challenges, particularly UJ.

Obeidat stated some success stories of UJ, including reaching the list of the world's top 500 universities in the recent QS World University Rankings 2024, adding that about 55 of its programs received international accreditation, and its School of Medicine alumni obtained the highest positions in USMLE exams.

On challenges facing the university, he primarily referred to financial challenges, the large number of students, and old buildings, stressing need to enjoy independence of decision-making to face challenges and achieve stability in order to achieve development, scientific research and building of distinctive competencies, locally, regionally and globally.

For his part, Salmi said the World Bank seeks to gain a "deeper" understanding of the challenges of Jordan's educational system, as part of the bank's support program provided to the Jordanian government to back efforts to reform the educational system.

The meeting was attended by UJ's Vice President for International Relations and Partnerships, Prof. Nahed Omeish, Vice President for Scientific Schools Prof. Ashraf Abu Karaki, and Director of the International Affairs Unit Dr. Sameh Zubaidi.