Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Jordan

Interest in higher education has increasingly grown since1980 where the "Law of Higher Education" was issued and followed by the establishment of Higher Education Council (HEC) in 1982 to work on supervising institutions of higher education. In 1985, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was established and the Law of Higher Education No. (28) for the year 1985 was issued to set the goals of higher education, powers and responsibilities of both the Ministry and Higher Education Council and the relationship with institutions of higher education.

Thereafter, the Ministry of Higher Education was abolished and replaced by the Council of Higher Education by virtue of the Law of Higher Education No. (6) For the year 1998 which was issued after 13 years of the establishment of the Ministry, and under which all Jordanian community colleges were affiliated to Al-Balqa' Applied University.

After His Majesty King Abdullah II had assumed his constitutional powers, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was re-established on the 21st of August 2001 by the Royal Decree, assuming the responsibility of supervising and having control over public and private higher education institutions, this is beside promoting the level of higher education in order to align and keep pace with developments witnessed by higher education sector in the world, humanitarian and environmental needs as well as expectations as a whole.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research works on supervising the sector of higher education in Jordan through (1) the Higher Education Council which assumes the responsibility of establishing the general policy for the higher education sector, (2) the Scientific Research Support Fund and (3) the Higher Education Accreditation Commission; with the assistance of (4) the technical and administrative staff of the Ministry represented by various departments that support work progress in order to promote the level of higher education in Jordan. This is also achieved through specialized scientific committees that verify all the certificates issued by non-Jordanian institutions of higher education, recognizing, equalizing and authenticating all documents issued thereof.

The sector of higher education in Jordan plays a key remarkable role in the process of comprehensive development at various levels and areas. That is, during the last ten years (in the reign of His Majesty King Abdullah II), higher education in Jordan witnessed a significant progress in terms of the diversity of study programs, patterns of teaching and learning that control both the quality and quantity and expansion of higher education institutions.

In spite of the limited financial and human resources in the kingdom, higher education lies within the priorities of the State as of the role it plays in promoting the economic, social and knowledgment level of the Jordanian citizen.

Higher education in Jordan commenced by the establishment of Teachers House 'Dar Al-Mu'lemeen' in 1958, with the level of two years aiming at preparing qualified teachers to work at the schools which belong to the Ministry of Higher Education. Afterwards, establishment of teachers houses has succeeded and became known as 'Teachers Institute' which have been developed for 'Community Colleges' in the seventies. As for university education, it commenced by the establishment of the University of Jordan in 1962, followed by the establishment of Al-Ahliyya Amman University in 1989 as the first private university in Jordan.