‘Two private universities receive warnings over staff shortages’

AMMAN — The Higher Education Accreditation Commission (HEAC) on Thursday issued warnings to two private universities over shortages in staff.

The warnings were issued to Al Zaytoona University of Jordan and the World Islamic Sciences and Education (WISE) University for the insufficient number of lecturers, the commission’s president, Bashir Zou’bi, said, noting that they were given until mid- September to address the issue.

Wafaa Huweidi, director of the accreditation programme at the HEAC, said the allowed ratio of professors to students in general in any university is 1 to 25 in scientific majors, 1 to 35 in humanities and 1 to 20 in applied majors.

She told The Jordan Times that universities are required to have a minimum of four lecturers for each undergraduate major, one of whom should be an associate professor.

As of 2017, post-graduate programmes are required to have a 1 to 10 ratio of professors to students for master’s degrees, and 1 to 5 for PhD degrees, Huweidi added.

She noted that the minimum number of years of experience required for post-graduate programme lecturers is 10 years.

WISE University Vice President Yaseen Zou’bi told The Jordan Times the university administration has decided to suspend the admission of new students into some of majors due to the large number of students already enrolled in some of these majors, and the lack of available lecturers in others.

Zou’bi added that the maximum number of students allowed per post-graduate programme is 60.

“If we had more, the quality of education would not be as good… The decision is for the benefit of students and staff,” he told The Jordan Times.

The official continued that the lack of staff at the university is a result of having professors reaching the retirement age and others leaving for other jobs.

WISE University suspended admission to project planning and Sharia majors due to low demand, Zou’bi said.

Al Zaytoona University of Jordan suspended admission into its English language and literature, and translation programmes, according to the HEAC.

The university’s president, Turki Obeidat, said the administration is working on hiring more lecturers for these majors.