The President of Amman Arab University Participates in the Global University Presidents Forum within the Times Higher Education Summit in Cape Town
Amman3 min read
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The President of Amman Arab University, Professor Dr. Ahmed Hamdan, participated in the Global University Presidents Forum, as part of the activities of the 2026 Times Higher Education Global University Summit, hosted by the University of Cape Town in partnership with the University of Bristol in Cape Town, South Africa, from 29-9 to 1-10-2026, marking the first time the summit is being held on African soil.
The forum is one of the summit's highlights, bringing together a group of university presidents and higher education leaders from around the world to exchange insights on the future of universities and the challenges they face in a rapidly changing world.
This year's summit is held under the theme 'Knowledge, Justice, and the Future: Universities in the Age of Intelligence'.
Professor Dr. Hamdan participated in forum sessions, including the 'Scenario 2030: Shaping the University of the Future' session, which discussed the features of the university in the next decade and its renewed roles in education, research, and community service.
The forum and summit discussions addressed the main challenges facing universities today, including: the status and role of universities in light of rapid geopolitical transformations, and the restrictions they impose on the movement of students and academics between countries; adapting to the transformation imposed by artificial intelligence on education and research, and balancing the adoption of its tools while ensuring responsible and ethical use; aligning educational outcomes with labor market needs amid concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs; enhancing community trust in universities and their role in serving the public good; building fair and equitable international partnerships; and the role of universities in addressing environmental challenges and building more sustainable communities.
In his intervention on the status of universities in light of geopolitical transformations, Professor Dr. Ahmed Hamdan emphasized that universities have become an instrument of academic diplomacy and a bridge for dialogue between peoples in a time of escalating divisions, noting that Arab region universities, despite the regional challenges they face, can be safe spaces for knowledge and international cooperation, and that the movement of students, researchers, and the exchange of expertise should remain free from political tensions, because knowledge belongs to all of humanity.
On the sidelines of the summit, the university president met with a number of international university presidents and discussed prospects for academic and research cooperation and the exchange of expertise, thereby strengthening the university's international partnership network.
Professor Dr. Ahmed Hamdan said: "The participation of Amman Arab University in a forum that brings together global university leaders reflects the status it has achieved on the international academic map, and gives us an opportunity to contribute to shaping the future university, not just following it. We will translate our insights and partnerships into our academic and research plans, to serve our students and our country"
