The University of Jordan (UJ), in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), officially launched today the Korea–Jordan Training Institute for Engineering and Technology (KJTIET).
The official launching ceremony was held under the patronage of UJ President, Prof. Nathir Obeidat, and attended by key dignitaries, including Secretary-General of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Marwan Al-Rifai; Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Jordan, Kim Pil-woo; and Country Director of KOICA Jordan, Kim So-young, alongside prominent leaders from the engineering and technology sectors.
The launch marks the beginning of a project that aims to strengthen specialized training for Jordanian engineers, enhance their practical skills in modern technologies, and transfer technological expertise to Jordanian industries. The initiative seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry, create job opportunities for graduates of engineering and IT disciplines, and promote innovation and productivity within the industrial sectors.
In his address during the ceremony, Obeidat expressed the university’s pride in launching this project, which represents a vital bridge for transferring advanced technology from Korea to Jordan. He emphasized that it reflects the university’s commitment to enhancing applied education, aligning its outcomes with labor market needs, empowering youth with the skills necessary to compete at both regional and international levels, and supporting national development efforts. He affirmed that this project elevates the cooperation between the two sides to a strategic partnership based on investing in human capital, knowledge transfer, and strengthening institutional capacities.
He added that the university’s selection to host this institute reflects not only its size but also its competence, given its academic expertise, advanced infrastructure, and steadfast commitment to reform and modernization. He noted that the institute comes at a critical time, as Jordan continues to advance sectoral reforms and strengthen its position in the global knowledge economy.
In turn, Al Rifai highlighted the project’s importance in supporting development efforts and building national technical and engineering capacities, in line with Jordan’s modernization and development priorities. He added that the institute reflects the strength of bilateral relations between Jordan and Korea, noting that this cooperation will contribute to tangible progress extending beyond education to include water management and green energy in the Kingdom.
For his part, Ambassador Kim Pilwoo stated that “education and vocational training has been a central pillar of the Korean government’s efforts to support Jordan’s socio-economic development,” reaffirming Korea's strong commitment to investing in Jordanian youth and their future opportunities. He further expressed that this joint project will help address one of Jordan's most pressing challenges, including youth unemployment, and contribute to Jordan's efforts to create high-value jobs and enhance national industrial competitiveness under the Economic Modernization Vision.
The establishment of the institute aims to strengthen Jordan’s technical competencies in line with the requirements of modern industries and support the national economy by fostering collaboration between the university and the industrial sector, preparing well-qualified technical personnel ready for the job market in the fields of green energy, cybersecurity, industrial automation, and artificial intelligence. It will also train over 200 specialized professionals annually to meet the growing demands of the industry.
The project is implemented by a specialized Korean consortium led by the Korea Productivity Center (KPC) and Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU). This consortium comprises experts in curriculum development, industrial automation, cybersecurity, green energy, and quality assurance, dedicated to advancing Jordan’s technical education.
A central focus of the partnership is capacity building for Jordanian staff through advanced training programs. These initiatives include administrative and academic fellowships in South Korea, “train-the-trainer” programs at the University of Jordan, and the establishment of the University of Jordan Convergent Technology Forum—a sustainable platform for collaboration between academia and industry to foster innovation, joint projects, and support for startups.
According to the project details, the institute’s facilities will be constructed on a site of approximately 4,000 square meters within the University of Jordan campus, with the total project value estimated at USD 15 million, of which the Korean government will contribute USD 11 million and the University of Jordan will contribute USD 4 million.