SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | University of Jordan Sustainability

17.1

National & Regional SDG Policy Development

UJ is directly involved in shaping national government and regional NGO policies aligned with the SDGs — through research partnerships with WHO, USAID, FAO, and key Jordanian ministries.

National Health Policy

STEPwise Survey on Non-Communicable Diseases

UJ's Center for Strategic Studies collaborates with Jordan's Ministry of Health and the WHO on the national STEPwise survey on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The results directly shape public health policy around cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, aligning national action with SDG targets.

WHO Survey Report ›

Health Assessment

HelpAge International — Health Assessment for Older Adults in Jordan

HelpAge International, in collaboration with UJ's Center for Strategic Studies, launched a comprehensive health assessment focusing on older adults (Jordanian and Syrian, aged 60+). The study covered healthcare access, chronic illness, mental health, and disability — with findings used to advocate for protective policies for this marginalised group.

View Report ›

SDG 17 · Policy Engagement
WHO
UJ's Center for Strategic Studies collaborates with WHO, USAID, HelpAge International, and Jordan's Ministry of Health on evidence-based policy development aligned with the SDGs.

Agricultural Policy

Collaboration with FAO on Jordan's National Food Security Strategy

The Dean of UJ's Faculty of Agriculture met with FAO's representative in Jordan to discuss collaboration on Jordan's National Food Security Strategy. They explored a formal partnership covering agricultural development, student training, and local community engagement — a direct contribution to SDG 2 and SDG 17.

Meeting Details ›

Geopolitical Research

First-Ever Strategic Report on Jordan's Regional Geostrategic Position

UJ's Center for Strategic Studies unveiled its first strategic report — a 28-page analysis of global geopolitical shifts and their implications for Jordan. It addresses security in the Middle East, political reform, and Jordan's regional positioning, helping policymakers develop a broad understanding of regional and international dynamics.

Strategic Report ›

17.2

Cross-Sectoral SDG Dialogues with Government & NGOs

UJ actively initiates and participates in cross-sectoral dialogues related to the SDGs — convening government bodies, NGOs, academics, and industry leaders to shape evidence-based policy and educational reform.

Educational Policy Dialogue

Symposium on Jordanian Curriculum Development

UJ's Center for Strategic Studies hosted a November 2019 symposium with the Chairman of the National Center for Curriculum Development, Dr. Azmi Mahafzah. The event brought together policymakers and educational experts to align Jordan's curriculum reforms with national development goals and SDG targets.

Symposium Details ›

Education Reform Seminar

General Secondary Certificate Examination Development Seminar

UJ's Center for Strategic Studies co-hosted a discussion seminar with the National Center for Curriculum Development, bringing together prominent figures including Dr. Adnan Badran and Dr. Omar Al-Razzaz to evaluate Jordan's educational assessment system and align exams with SDG goals.

Seminar Report ›

International Dialogue

U.S.–Jordan University Cooperation Network (UCN) Conference

Hosted at UJ, the UCN conference focused on sustainable development through academic collaboration. Discussions covered climate change, public health, and sustainable energy — exemplifying the university's commitment to global partnerships in addressing shared SDG challenges.

Conference Details ›

Economic Dialogue

IMF Mission Head Lecture at UJ College of Business

Christina Kositaal, head of the IMF mission in the Middle East, delivered a lecture at UJ's College of Business on Jordan's economic reforms, structural changes, and job creation — emphasising the IMF's ongoing support for Jordanian stability and growth and the value of international economic partnerships.

Lecture Details ›

Digital Economy Forum

International Conference on Business & Digital Economy (IBDE)

UJ hosts the annual IBDE conference gathering experts from business, technology, and sustainable development sectors to explore digital transformation and the SDGs. Topics include energy, climate change, and public health — reinforcing UJ's role in shaping multi-sector policy dialogues.

Conference Events ›

Youth Empowerment

Crown Prince Foundation Dialogue Sessions at UJ Aqaba

On 6 November 2024, the Crown Prince Foundation held dialogue sessions at UJ's Aqaba branch, covering tourism media strategies and mind mapping for student goal achievement. Content creators engaged students on leveraging digital content for sustainable tourism — a direct SDG 17 partnership activity.

Event Report ›

17.3

Regional Projects & Environmental Research Partnerships

UJ contributes to EU-funded regional initiatives and environmental research — from refugee integration studies to agricultural water management using satellite remote sensing.

EU-Funded Regional Initiatives

FOCUS Project: Refugee Integration & Social Cohesion

UJ is a partner in the EU-funded FOCUS project — a research initiative running from January 2019 to June 2022, led by the IFRC Reference Centre with partners from 9 countries including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Jordan, and the UK. The project deepens understanding of refugee and migrant integration, with emphasis on psychological and social factors.

Additionally, UJ researchers have used satellite remote sensing (Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2) to map irrigated areas and irrigation water consumption across Jordan from 2017–2019. The study found 98,000 hectares irrigated in 2019, identified illegal groundwater abstraction zones, and provided recommendations for sustainable water management policy — directly supporting SDG 6 and SDG 17.

FOCUS Project — Research on Integration & Social Cohesion ↗ ️ Remote Sensing for Agricultural Water Management in Jordan (MDPI) ↗

17.4

International Research Collaborations & Best Practices

UJ collaborates internationally through Erasmus+, DAAD, Tempus, and other funded programmes — bringing global best practices into Jordanian education across health, energy, agriculture, inclusion, and digital innovation.

Erasmus+ / DAAD Project

JUICEE — Entrepreneurship Education for Jordanian Universities

The DAAD-funded "JUICEE" project develops innovation and entrepreneurship capacity at Jordanian universities, directly supporting SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Economic Growth) by embedding entrepreneurship in higher education curricula.

Funded Projects ›

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Energy & Climate Project

Boosting Solar Energy Technologies (INNOMED) & DESIRE

Erasmus+ funded projects "Boosting Innovative Solar Energy Technologies" (INNOMED) and DESIRE (socioeconomic impacts of renewable energy) bring EU expertise into Jordanian education — directly supporting SDG 7 (Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

View Projects ›

Inclusion Project

EDU4ALL — Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities

UJ's Erasmus+ "EDU4ALL" initiative promotes the inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education — supporting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by integrating diversity as a core educational principle.

View Initiative ›

Food Security Project

Agro Technology VET Centres & CCSAFS — Sustainable Agriculture

Projects including "Agro Technology VET Centres to Network and Train Future Farmers" and the MSc programme "CCSAFS" (Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security) integrate EU practices to address sustainable agriculture — directly supporting SDG 2 and SDG 17.

EU Projects Portal ›

Water Resources Project

eMaster in Water Resources Engineering (EMWRE) & WaSec

Erasmus+ funded projects including "eMaster in Water Resources Engineering" and "Innovations in Water Education — WaSec" address water security and socioeconomic development in the Eastern Mediterranean, supporting SDG 6 through international academic partnerships.

View Projects ›

International Conference

Dr. Hanan Saadeh at International X-ray Spectroscopy Conference (EXRS 2024)

UJ's Dr. Hanan Saadeh presented research on iron compounds in Amman's aerosols at the EXRS 2024 conference in Athens — attended by 300+ researchers from 30+ countries. Funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency, this exemplifies UJ's active engagement in global scientific partnerships.

Conference Report ›

17.5

Data Collection, Knowledge Sharing & Documentation

UJ contributes to regional data collection through collaborations like the Arab Barometer, and safeguards historical records through partnerships with UNRWA and UNESCO — supporting evidence-based sustainable development.

Data Partnership

Arab Barometer — Regional Public Opinion Research Network

UJ contributes to the Arab Barometer — a nonpartisan research network providing insights into the social, political, and economic attitudes of citizens across the Arab world. Operating since 2006, it is the largest publicly available repository of MENA public opinion data, giving voice to the needs and concerns of Arab publics.

About Arab Barometer ›

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Heritage Preservation

UNRWA Delegation Visit to UJ Documentation & Manuscripts Center

An UNRWA delegation visited UJ's Documentation and Manuscripts Center to explore cooperation in preserving documents related to Palestinian refugees. The center holds millions of historical records — including legal documents vital for proving refugee rights. Both parties discussed safeguarding these materials for future generations.

UNRWA Visit Report ›

SDG 17.5 · Data & Knowledge
1970
Year UJ's Library became a United Nations depository — a collaboration with UNESCO maintained for over 50 years, now focused on developing a smart creative library for UN publications.

UNESCO Partnership

UJ Library & UNESCO — Scientific & Cultural Cooperation

UJ's Library Unit met with UNESCO representatives to enhance scientific and cultural cooperation. They are developing a smart creative library for United Nations publications as a joint project. Both parties emphasised workshops, seminars, and conferences to promote SDGs and engage students in relevant activities.

UNESCO Partnership ›

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International Workshop

OPCW Workshop — Ethical Standards in Chemistry Practice

Dr. Abeer Al-Bawab, Dean of Scientific Research at UJ, participated in a workshop by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Netherlands — contributing to global ethical guidelines for chemistry practice in line with the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Workshop Details ›

17.6

External Partnerships, Trade & Funding Networks

UJ has built a comprehensive network of local and global funding partnerships — from the WTO Chair Programme to partnerships with WIPO, IOM, IREX, USAID, Columbia University, and scores of global funding agencies.

Trade Partnership

WTO Chair Programme — International Trade Research & Teaching

UJ was awarded the prestigious WTO Chair Programme — joining 13 other global institutions. The programme provides up to CHF 50,000 annually for four years, supporting research, teaching, and interaction with global think tanks to enhance Jordan's participation in the multilateral trading system.

WTO Chair Programme ›

Intellectual Property

WIPO National IP Policy Project — 11 Jordanian Universities

WIPO and Jordan's Ministry of Industry collaborated with UJ and 10 other Jordanian academic institutions (2020–2022) to develop institutional intellectual property policies. The initiative created a national IP policy model and established a national technology transfer network, promoting academic innovation and commercialisation.

WIPO Project Report ›

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Industry Partnership

Higher Education for Innovation & Growth — IREX & USAID

UJ's Faculty of Agriculture launched the "Higher Education for Innovation and Growth" project with IREX and USAID, starting with a Sustainable Food Security Cluster. This five-year initiative strengthens academia–private sector ties, enhancing Jordan's agriculture, food industry, and supply chains through market-relevant education and applied research.

Project Launch ›

Migration Partnership

Turkish Ministry of Interior & IOM Visit — Refugee Studies Cooperation

A 15-official delegation from Turkey's Ministry of Interior and the International Organization for Migration visited UJ to discuss cooperation on conflict studies, forced migration, and refugee support. The meeting highlighted UJ's academic programmes and scholarships for refugees and emphasised regional collaboration on refugee-related challenges.

Visit Report ›

Global Summit

2024 QS Asia Higher Education Summit

UJ participated in the 2024 QS Asia Higher Education Summit, represented by key officials, to strengthen its global presence — fostering partnerships with international universities, attracting international students, expanding research networks, and aligning study plans with global skill needs and SDG targets.

Summit Details ›

Business Partnerships

External Cooperation Agreements — Training & Professional Development

UJ has formed external partnerships including agreements with Unique Fast Food Company for student training, Al Qawasmi & Partners for graduate training, and the Income and Sales Tax Department for professional collaboration — bridging academia with Jordan's private sector and public institutions.

External Cooperation ›

17.7

Future Vision — Challenges & Areas for Improvement

UJ has charted an ambitious roadmap for deepening its global partnerships and becoming a regional hub for cooperation on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Future Initiative

Global Solutions Hub

UJ plans to establish a "Global Solutions Hub" connecting students and faculty with international experts to tackle global challenges — fostering cross-disciplinary research networks and co-creating solutions aligned with the SDGs.

Industry Partnership

Industry Innovation Partnerships — Renewable Energy & Technology

UJ aims to deepen partnerships with industry leaders in renewable energy and technology — bridging academia with real-world applications and embedding entrepreneurship within SDG-focused research and teaching.

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Policy Innovation

Policy Lab — Evidence-Based Sustainable Policy

UJ envisions establishing a "Policy Lab" to collaborate with local and international policymakers — amplifying the university's voice in advocating for evidence-based, sustainable policies at national and regional levels.

Student Empowerment

Cross-Cultural Exchange & Capacity Building

Expanding cross-cultural exchange programmes and capacity-building initiatives would empower students with a global perspective — and an SDG-focused alumni network would enable UJ graduates to contribute to global projects and sustainable development missions worldwide.

Digital Platform

Digital Collaboration Platform for SDG Knowledge Sharing

UJ plans to develop a digital collaboration platform enabling global students and educators to share knowledge and work together on SDG-related projects — transcending geographic barriers and expanding the reach of UJ's expertise.

Regional Hub

Aqaba Branch — Marine Conservation & Sustainable Tourism

UJ will leverage its Aqaba branch for regional partnerships in marine conservation and sustainable tourism — hosting multi-stakeholder SDG conferences and positioning the university as a Red Sea hub for cross-sector sustainable development cooperation.

SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

FOCUS Project: Refugee Integration & Social Cohesion

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