September 19th, 2023 - Specialists and interested parties from Jordan's industry, and Jordanian public and private universities discussed the reality of higher education programs in Jordanian universities in the specializations of artificial intelligence and robotics, and the needs and future of the labor market for these specializations, in light of the increasing uses of artificial intelligence and robots in our contemporary world.
Participants in a workshop organized by the International Affairs Unit at the University of Jordan, as part of the activities of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Curricula Development Project (DeCAIR) supported by the European Union within the Erasmus Plus program and in cooperation with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) in Jordan, agreed on the importance of developing curricula that cover various aspects of artificial intelligence and robotics, the necessity of providing the necessary infrastructure, and enhancing research and development by encouraging students and faculty members to carry out research and practical projects related to this field.
The workshop, which was moderated by Dr. Iyad Jaafar from the Computer Engineering Department at the University of Jordan and attended by the University’s Vice President for International Relations and Partnerships, Dr. Nahid Omeish, discussed a number of topics, during which the Assistant Director of the Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission, Dr. Saad Bani Muhammad, spoke about the reality of higher education in Jordan with regard to specializations in artificial intelligence, robotics, available programs, student numbers, and quality assurance. The CEO of the “Intaj” Companies Association for Information and Communications Technology in Jordan, Eng. Nidal Al-Bitar, presented an overview of the association, and the reality of the Jordanian and global labor market for specializations in artificial intelligence and robotics, the required skills, and job opportunities. Current and future.
The Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Curricula Development Project at the University of Jordan, Dr. Ghaith Abandah, also presented the experience of the School of Engineering in the project as a pioneering model in providing advanced education in this field, aiming to achieve success by meeting the basics and developing practical experiences.
Dr. Murad Al-Aqtash from the Department of Computer Engineering at Tafila University, Dr. Hussein Al-Ahmar from the College of Artificial Intelligence at Al-Balqa Applied University, and Dr. Ahmed Al-Khatib from the College of Information Science and Technology at Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan focused on their universities’ experience in the specializations of artificial intelligence and robotics, and the programs offered by each of them and ways to prepare students for the labor market.
The participants presented the challenges facing higher education in Jordan in teaching the topics of artificial intelligence and robotics, citing as an example the lack of resources, preparing qualified personnel, modernizing programs, employment, benefiting from graduates, and providing training and research opportunities, pointing out that these challenges require a serious commitment from the government, universities and industry to promote education and research in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics in Jordan.
At the conclusion of the workshop, the participants recommended the necessity of securing the necessary needs to advance this field, including knowledge, expertise, and equipment, and shifting to student-centered education, and qualifying experts specialized in artificial intelligence techniques, with a focus on learning the required modern practical skills, and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.