The University of Jordan (UJ) on Tuesday marked the 88th anniversary of the birth of His Majesty, the late King Hussein, who reigned for nearly five decades.
Hussein was proclaimed King of Jordan on August 11, 1952 and a Regency Council was appointed until his formal accession to the Throne on May 2, 1953, when he assumed his constitutional powers after reaching the age of 18, according to the Islamic calendar.
Throughout his 47-year reign, King Hussein worked hard to advance his country and raise citizens’ living standards. He also focused on building an economic and industrial infrastructure that advanced the quality of life of the Jordanian people.
During his reign, primary education became mandatory, and schools were established across the Kingdom`s cities, villages and rural areas, allowing Jordan to become among one of the leading countries in the Arab world in terms of literacy. In 1962, he issued a Royal decree to establish the University of Jordan (UJ) as the first higher education institution in Jordan.
King Hussein also focused on improving higher education, and dozens of public and private universities and colleges were built under his rule.
King Hussein passed away on February 7, 1999, at the age of 63 following his battle with cancer.