JORDON-FRANCE: Joint nuclear science university

In an announcement by the country's Atomic Commission on 19 January, Jordan said it plans to create a Jordanian-French university specialising in nuclear sciences and research to develop scientific human resources in Jordan and the Arab world.

"This will be a centre of excellence, rather than a university in the traditional sense," Ned Xoubi, Commissioner for Nuclear Fuel Cycle at the commission, told University World News. "Thus it will expand to more than one Jordanian university utilising the already existing resources and infrastructure."

The University of Jordan has a nuclear physics programme, as has the Jordon University of Science and Technology, along with research and teaching nuclear laboratories. These will be the leading Jordanian institutions that will work with the French institutions to offer advanced degrees.

As a worldwide leader in nuclear energy, France will provide help and support to develop and build the centre. It will adopt the system followed by the French Ecole Polytechnique, a state-supported institution of higher education and research.

As well, the centre will develop training and education programmes at the graduate and undergraduate levels, focusing on the development of human resources to help in the building, construction, execution, and management of Jordan's nuclear programme.

Courses will include a master degree in project management geared toward nuclear and mega projects at the University of Jordan, a master degree in nuclear safety and regulation at JUST, and a technology diploma that will attract community college graduates for developing the technical skills needed for nuclear power plants.

"This centre will play an instrumental role in the development of nuclear programmes in the region, both in educating and training Arab students in these disciplines, and also in graduating qualified Jordanians who may be employed by countries that are developing nuclear power," Xoubi said.

Hassan Moawad Abdel Al, former president of Alexandria's Mubarak City for Scientific Research and Technology Applications in Egypt, said the new centre would help in translating the 10-year Arab science development plan by providing the nuclear knowledge and the scientific and technological expertise needed for the effective implementation of a successful nuclear power programme for peaceful use.