It is with great pleasure and honor that I speak to you as the 10th president of UJ. The honor stems from the fact that UJ, the alma mater which received me (and more than 110 thousand students) with much love and care as an undergraduate and graduate student and then a faculty member in the Department of Arabic and an academic administrator, is not any university. It is not only the oldest university in the nation, the “mother” university as we often speak affectionately of it, but the most well-positioned, innovative, influential, and prestigious. Over the years, several of its administrations have succeeded in crystallizing a central role for it, in offering solid education to successive generations of Jordanian from all parts of the country (as well as students from the region and abroad), in contributing fundamentally to the development and progress of the Jordanian society and state, and in leading higher education institutions in the country and in many countries in the region. It is a great privilege for me indeed to lead UJ, at this crucial juncture in time, in which both higher education itself and our Jordanian society at large are facing old and new challenges and going through a significant transition – to new horizons and new successes, I am sure. My students, colleagues, administrative team, and I are determined to forge ahead with a great deal of confidence and courage, with vision, and with well thought-out plans. We are determined to keep UJ at the forefront, not only nationally, but also regionally and internationally. Once upon a time UJ belonged to our nation and region; at this point in time, UJ still belongs to our nation and region, but it belongs also to our globe. Our mission is national and regional, but it is international and human, as well. Just as we have made a great impact across all sectors and geographies of the Jordanian society, and across many in the region, we are intent upon making an impact across nations and across cultures throughout the globe: we look East and West, South and North, simultaneously.

The pleasure stems from the many aspirations and plans we have for UJ. Much has been done, I should remind; but much still needs to be done, I should caution. We live in a diligent and competitive world, and therefore we need to compete and be diligent, if we are to become relevant and effective in today’s world, and if we are to prevail. Toward this end, there is a lot we will be doing in the days to come, and we will be doing it with both joy and faith. In my address to the 42nd cohort of UJ graduates a couple of months ago, I outlined what I saw as ten major challenges that need to be tackled without delay. First, UJ should continue to lead, rather than be led, by society. Secondly, it should become a think-tank for the Jordanian state and an incubator for much of its scientific, literary, and cultural innovations. Third, it should enable its students to experience a swift transition: from the tribe to the nation, from rote learning to critical thinking, from fear to freedom, from superstition to reason, from prejudice to tolerance, from weakness to strength, and from confusion to certainty. Fourth, it should continue to be a center of knowledge and enlightenment, not that of preaching or espousing unilateral, partisan, or narrow thoughts. Fifth, it should empower students further by lending tangible support to their councils, clubs, theaters, newspapers, radio station, picnics, trips, exchange programs, and other activities. Sixth, there need to be serious reforms at the administrative level, liberating UJ from much of the unhealthy, crippling bureaucracy and from mediocre, inefficient administrators. Seventh, there is a need for the creation of an administrative unit which supervises and oversees its strategic thinking, its planning, its quality assurance drive, its innovation, and its relevance and excellence. Eighth, there needs to be a plan, a sustainable one, under which top students need to be enabled to continue their studies and research at the best international educational institutions in the world. Ninth, there needs to be a radical revision of graduate studies, boosting programs and augmenting methods of instruction and research. Tenth, a transformation needs to happen in the way scientific research is conducted, making it more international, more human, and more relevant to local, regional, and global needs.

There are other challenges and aspirations which we will be pursuing with vigor and determination. These I will share with you on other occasions and in other contexts. But what I would like to conclude with here is asserting that, already, we have started addressing these challenges and realizing some of our aspirations. Already we have taken a decision to employ all those undergraduate (and graduate) students who graduated at the top of their classes in all specializations, with the aim of sending them abroad to complete their education and come back to us as faculty members. This is done with the aim of preventing UJ from aging, and of filling some of the gaps resulting from brain drain and retirements. Already, we have started implementing changes in the administrative structure of the university, creating some new units and appointing people of proven records of success. Already, we have taken a decision to create an international studies faculty, which will house several important graduate and undergraduate programs. Already, we are looking into creating a Faculty of Arabic and restructuring the Faculty of Arts, with the aim of introducing new specializations in important world languages and in untapped areas of language, linguistics, translation, media and culture. Already, we are thinking of boosting and increasing the presence not only of international students on our campus, but also of international faculty members. Already, in fact, we are doing many other things.

UJ has a noble mission and a historic task. During my term as president, I – supported by my students and colleagues – will do the utmost to enable it not just to be relevant and effective, but also to be a true beacon of learning, knowledge, and wisdom.