jordan pulse -

By Prof. Dr. Ali Hiyasat
​There is widespread discussion these days regarding China's experience in higher education and the remarkable speed with which it redirected its educational framework toward technology and modern skills—an experience that certainly merits study and reflection. However, the success of any model is inseparable from its context. China operates within a political, administrative, and institutional environment vastly different from Jordan's. Therefore, learning from it does not mean replicating its tools or pace of change, but rather capturing the essence of its experience: anticipating future needs and aligning education with labor market demands.
​Jordan does not need to become China to learn from it. Hence, the most critical question is not merely what we change, but how we change.
​We must draw upon global experiences in emerging fields, artificial intelligence, technical education, applied research, and industry partnerships. However, this must occur within a Jordanian environment grounded in gradualism, respect for institutions, accumulated expertise, and consensus wherever possible.
​This highlights a fundamental point often overlooked in higher education reform discussions: a university is not merely a collection of majors, buildings, and study plans. Above all, a university is human capital, an institution, and an academic culture.
​Phasing out stagnant majors may be the right decision, introducing artificial intelligence programs a necessity, restructuring faculties a required step, and linking scientific research to industry a strategic goal. Yet the success of reform is not measured by decisions alone, but by an institution's capacity to execute them without eroding its human capital or undermining internal trust.
​In this context, the experience of Al-Balqa Applied University serves as a case study worth examining—not solely through the lens of decisions made, but through how change and its institutional and human impacts were managed.
​In a previous phase, the university witnessed a series of ideas and decisions that sparked—and continue to spark—widespread debate regarding the review of its educational plans, programs, and curricula. While acknowledging the boldness of an idea or the importance of a decision, this does not automatically mean all execution tools were successful.
​A reformative decision does not succeed simply because it is bold, nor does describing an experience as "ahead of its time" exempt us from examining its consequences. Was the shift in academic majors accompanied by a fair path for redeploying and developing talent? Was restructuring preceded by sufficient institutional dialogue? Did the process of change preserve trust within the university's academic community?
​These questions do not hinder reform; they safeguard it.
​A university aspiring to generate knowledge and innovation requires an environment where professors, researchers, and administrative staff feel like active partners in change—not mere figures on restructuring spreadsheets. It also demands robust governance, effective councils, independent oversight, transparent standards for evaluation and promotion, and clear accountability mechanisms.
​Crucially, reform must be institutional rather than personal. Transformational leadership does not mean a single individual driving the entire process of change; rather, it means building an institution capable of sustaining that change long after their departure. Person-dependent reform may yield swift initial results, but it remains vulnerable to reversal as leadership changes. Institutional reform, by contrast, converts ideas into enduring culture and policy.
​A mature reading of any academic experience neither glorifies the past nor dismantles it, but extracts successes and shortcomings to serve as lessons for the future. This lesson extends beyond any single university to a broader question: How do we modernize higher education and leverage global experiences without losing our capacity to manage change in a manner tailored to Jordan's specific environment?
​We can learn from China's swift adaptation to technological shifts, and from other global models in applied education and university-industry integration. Yet the goal is not to copy models, but to build a distinct Jordanian model that benefits from global insights while preserving its institutional character.
​We certainly need to modernize academic disciplines, expand AI and applied sciences, align education with market needs, and turn research into innovation. Equal priority, however, must be given to protecting talent, respecting academic staff, fostering fairness and transparency, maintaining policy stability, and involving specialists in shaping change.
​A university that aims to teach its students critical thinking must not fear critical thinking within its own walls. Nor can an institution that seeks to foster innovation manage its faculty with a mindset that dreads disagreement.
​While bold decisions are necessary, the wisdom of change is far more essential. True modernization is not measured by how quickly we tear things down, but by our ability to build stronger institutions, empower more confident individuals, and forge a better-prepared future.