Hashemite University wins top prize in scientific excellence award

AMMAN — The Hashemite University has won first place in El Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence in recognition of its efforts in establishing a first-of-a-kind clinical skills education and testing centre.

The Zarqa-based public university, which created the centre in 2012 to enhance the medical educational process and provide professional medical training, received the award at a ceremony last Thursday, where HRH Prince Hassan, chairman of the Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), honoured the winners.

The HCST, which organises the award, said the centre facilitates an electronic library that opens the door for students to access medical records and patient information as well as learn from several medical programmes showing images of the symptoms of various diseases and X-rays.

Second-place winner was the German-Jordanian University’s natural and cultural heritage study centre, an academic research, training and consultations facility that deals with heritage in both its natural and man-made aspects.

Third prize went to Yarmouk University for its “Jordanian Dead Sea Scrolls” project that aims at establishing an authentic and credible scientific body of knowledge related to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The project included the creation of a library dedicated for the publication of Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts.

Addressing attendees at the ceremony, which also marked the award’s 20th anniversary, Prince Hassan said the Jordanian state, with its political, economic and civil triangle, should counter the challenges threatening development, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Stressing that sustainable planning and development planning should focus on human beings and human dignity, the prince called for a serious consideration of investing in minds.

“There has to be an investment in global brain circulation, which helps build the strength of all nations that share knowledge building. The immigration of millions of young Arabs with international qualifications in science has — no doubt — greatly contributed to limiting the success of development efforts in the Arab world,” he added.

Developing knowledge takes place through brain circulation “amongst us”, Prince Hassan said, and “this is the real capital.”

Noting that the “moral revolution” preceded the industrial revolution, he called for adopting “the spirit of development and nation building” by ensuring the authentic participation of all who deserve it, and “this is the vision for the future.”

The prince thanked HRH Princess Sarvath, who chairs the award’s committee, for involving him in the initiative.

Princess Sarvath and HRH Princess Sumaya attended Thursday’s ceremony.

HCST Secretary General Khalid Shraideh said 25 projects from 12 public and private universities applied for the award, and a jury of experts selected the winners. 

He added that the first place winner will receive JD7,000, while second and third place winners will get JD5,000 and JD3,000 respectively.

In his address, Shraideh stressed the need for educational reform, calling it key for sustainable development.

Developing the educational sector is important to bridge the gap between graduates and labour market needs, he added.