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AMMAN — The Lower House on Tuesday approved six articles out of 12 of the draft amended Jordan Universities Law for 2026.
The session was chaired by Lower House Speaker Mazen Qadi and attended by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and members of the government team.
The government said that the proposed amendments are part of wider efforts to modernise higher education governance following recent institutional reforms, including the creation of the Education and Human Resources Development Council.
It also said that the amendments seek to improve decision-making, strengthen university performance and ensure academic programmes better respond to labour market needs.
Lawmakers amended the proposed structure of university boards of trustees after discussions in the House, agreeing to maintain a 10-member board instead of the eight members initially suggested by the government.
Under the revised framework, university boards of trustees would include figures with expertise in academic, business and technology fields, alongside the university president.
The government said the new composition aims to ensure the boards include members who can effectively support strategic planning and contribute to the advancement and development of higher education institutions.
MPs also discussed the need to clearly define the responsibilities of boards of trustees, university councils and other academic bodies to avoid overlapping roles and preserve universities’ academic independence.
Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Abdulmunim Al Oudat said the amendments would give university boards of trustees a greater role in selecting university presidents, a responsibility that was not included in the previous legislation.
He said that the appointment of presidents of public universities would begin with a recommendation from the university’s board of trustees, which would then be submitted through the Education and Human Resources Development Council and the Cabinet for approval.
The bill also introduces new requirements for university presidents, including Jordanian nationality, holding the rank of professor for at least five years and having the administrative experience required to manage the institution. Presidents would serve four-year terms renewable once.
Other amendments approved by the House allow public universities to provide incentives for academic and administrative staff from revenues collected through parallel and international undergraduate programmes, based on percentages approved by the relevant council upon the recommendation of university boards of trustees.
The legislation also enables universities to allocate 1 per cent of their annual budgets for international marketing activities aimed at attracting foreign students through campaigns, visits and exhibitions.
In addition, the amendments expand universities’ ability to establish investment, savings and other funds, while extending the regulatory framework to include university colleges, community colleges and similar institutions.
