jordan pulse -

Prof. Dr. Ali Al-Hayassat

With all due respect to Dr. Faisal Al-Hayari and his valued perspective in public discourse, his article published yesterday, titled "My Experience in the Balqa Applied University Board of Trustees: A Dream Born from the Womb of Disability," opens the door to unavoidable questions. These questions are not aimed at discrediting anyone, but rather touch upon the very idea of the institution when memory becomes private property.

The esteemed author spoke at length about the previous Board of Trustees and the former university president, and the "achievement" born from the "womb of disability," as if Balqa Applied University was only built during that period and did not exist before or after. The truth, however, is simpler and deeper.

Since its establishment in 1997, the university has been a continuous national project, built by many men who did not write about themselves because they were busy with action, not talk.

Under the tenure of Prof. Dr. Akhleaf Al-Tarawneh, the infrastructure was rebuilt, most specializations were academically accredited, quality standards improved, and academic and administrative staff were financially compensated fairly.

Then came the era of Prof. Dr. Nabil Al-Shawabkeh, during which the university witnessed the founding of the Medical School, the establishment of the Al-Salt Technical College, the construction of a dedicated building for the Business School, and the rehabilitation of vital facilities thanks to the Gulf grant at the time. All this happened before the Board of Trustees that the (esteemed) author describes as if it were the sole turning point in the university's history!

As for the mentioned financial surplus of approximately 18 million dinars resulting from the adjustment of technical education fees, while it appears to be a positive indicator on the surface, it coincided with a decline in the enrollment rate in technical diploma programs. This raises questions about the decision's alignment with the university's applied and technical philosophy itself.

For the sake of institutional integrity, it must be noted that the Board of Trustees, of which the author proudly claims membership, remained silent on some pivotal issues that occurred at the university and occupied Jordanian public opinion at the time. This silence left legitimate questions unanswered; a silence loud enough to raise question marks about the so-called "governance and transparency" during that period.

It is ironic that the article begins with the names of senior figures in Jordan's higher education sector, such as Abdul Salam Al-Majali, Adnan Badran, Walid Al-Maani, and Wajih Owais. These are national icons who were not known for writing about themselves, but for leaving imprints that need no reminder!

They did not speak of their "personal dreams" because they believed that higher education is a national project, not a personal farm, and that a university is measured not by individuals but by its cumulative journey.

We say this not to diminish anyone's effort, but to correct a concept that has begun to creep into the discourse of some academics: that institutional glory is measured by the number of articles, not the number of achievements.

We may differ in reading experiences, but what unites us is the belief that the university is a national idea that cannot be reduced to names. For a real dream is not born from the self, but from the sincerity of belonging to the institution and the nation. And Balqa University will remain a symbol of this belonging as long as there are those in this country who believe in science as a message and in work as a value.