GJU celebrates 2 decades of educational excellence, innovation

AMMAN — In the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah, the German-Jordanian University (GJU) on Tuesday celebrated its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of influence in education, innovation and intercultural cooperation.

Founded in 2005 as a partnership between Jordan and Germany, GJU has gained distinction as a pioneering institution, known for producing skilled graduates, supporting economic growth, and building intercultural ties, according to GJU President Ala’aldeen Halhouli.

“GJU stands as a model of academic excellence and a unique example of international academic partnership and science diplomacy,” Halhouli said, adding “Guided by His Majesty’s vision, GJU was established as a practical and applied institution. Today, we serve over 5,000 students and have more than 8,000 alumni.”

Highlighting the university’s applied learning approach, Halhouli noted that GJU offers 40 academic programmes, including the “German Year,” where students spend a year in Germany to broaden their global perspective. 

A central element of GJU’s mission is its extensive network of partnerships, which spans over 120 German universities and more than 5,000 industry partners, he added.

“Today, we celebrate two decades of achievements, fulfilling His Majesty’s vision to create a bridge of academic excellence between Jordan and Germany,” Halhouli said. 

He also noted that 49 per cent of GJU alumni work in Jordan, 23 per cent in Germany, 18 per cent in the region, and 10 per cent elsewhere globally.

In an interview with The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the event, GJU Vice President Malik Sharari said that GJU has graduated over 8,500 multicultural and multilingual individuals, with most employed in Jordan, Germany, and the region. 

Sharari also highlighted the university’s support for entrepreneurship and innovation through the Deanship of Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Entrepreneurship (DI-TECH).

Andreas Geiger, founding member and GJU Board of Trustees representative, recalled the university’s origins, noting “The idea for GJU emerged in 2002 during King Abdullah’s visit to Germany. Khaled Toukan, then  minister of higher education, proposed establishing a Jordanian institution inspired by Germany’s applied sciences universities.”

"With support from, His Majesty, former chancellor Gerhard Schröder and German minister of education Edelgard Bulmahn, the project officially launched in 2003, with classes starting in 2005," he added.

Reflecting on the challenges of introducing the applied sciences model in a traditionally research-oriented Jordanian academic environment, Geiger noted, “We had to create specialised programmes to train Jordanian faculty in applied sciences. Today, GJU’s reputation in Germany is reflected in its partnerships with 120 institutions and a thriving alumni network.”

Representing the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Geiger led the project from the German side.

The celebration was attended by high-ranking government officials, including ministers and ambassadors, along with GJU board members, university administrators, faculty, prominent alumni, representatives from German partner institutions, and dignitaries from the Jordanian and German embassies.