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AMMAN — HRH Prince El Hassan, president of the Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), on Thursday attended a ceremony to honour winners for the El Hassan bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence 2026, which this year was dedicated to general education institutions.
The ceremony was attended by HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan, chairperson of the award’s committee, and HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
In his address at the HCST headquarters, Prince Hassan underscored the vital role of knowledge, describing science as "the life of hearts, the light of sight against blindness, and the strength of bodies against weakness".
The prince said that the occasion was not merely to honour award winners but to celebrate minds that have transformed science into a journey of passion and continuous giving.
He praised the winning projects as inspiring models that redefine the school’s role in the age of knowledge, transforming learning into a lived experience that integrates digital innovation with practical application to build the human character before producing knowledge.
Prince Hassan highlighted that the winning projects, such as the "Dhurwat Al Elm" (Peak of Science) and the "Jordanian Virtual Lab" platforms, alongside the "Digital Safety Umbrella" and nature-based solution initiatives, reflect a bright image of innovation.
He noted that integrating technology with creativity is essential to address real-world challenges, describing such efforts as a genuine investment in building a conscious generation capable of leading the future.
The prince called for the adoption of holistic and interdisciplinary concepts, stressing the necessity of linking health and education with the Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) nexus.
He emphasised that poverty is no longer defined solely by low income but is a multidimensional deprivation that requires independent data and a knowledge base for fair decision-making.
Highlighting the importance of the Multidimensional Deprivation Index, Prince Hassan described it as an ethical and strategic lens to rearrange priorities according to living realities, particularly in marginalised areas.
Regarding digital transformation, the prince noted that knowledge technology and artificial intelligence require an enabling environment and adaptable human behaviour.
He urged harnessing these tools to enhance development and bridge the gap between the digital innovation generation and traditional bureaucracy to achieve effective e-governance.
Prince Hassan questioned the meaning of security in a world that "funds wars but fails to fund dignity".
He warned against technology becoming a tool for fragmentation if not subject to human standards, stressing that human dignity must remain the primary criterion amidst the expansion of smart wars and digital targeting.
He added that the future depends on reaching an agreement on the ethical foundation of the desired goal, placing the needs of the poor and marginalised at the top of the priority list.
Prince Hassan called for addressing human-on-human challenges and natural factors through understanding spatial landscapes, cartography, and the intersection of geological and geographical systems.
The prince also called for the "humanisation of numbers", stressing that staggering figures of victims, the wounded, and losses lose their impact if we do not realise that every number represents a human being with a name and a story.
He considered this humanisation an ethical and political prerequisite for sound decision-making.
Prince Hassan honoured the winners in three categories. The first prize, worth JD10,000, was awarded to Inbah Secondary Comprehensive School for Boys in Irbid for its "Dhurwat Al Elm" project.
The second prize, worth JD7,000, went to Hay Al Dhubat Secondary Mixed School in Mafraq for its "Digital Safety Umbrella" project.
The third prize, worth JD5,000, was shared between Rahbat Rakad Secondary School for Boys in Mafraq for its "Jordanian Virtual Lab" project, and Al Jazeerah Schools in Amman for the project "Nature-based Solutions: A Bridge between School and Community to Face Environmental Challenges".
HCST Secretary-General Mashhour Refai said that excellence, creative thinking, and the ability to turn challenges into opportunities for innovation are accessible to everyone when vision and support are present.
He noted that the success of public schools in remote areas reflects the inclusivity of excellence and the capacity of educational institutions across various governorates to innovate.
