With Princess Sumaya's vision... Jordan launches the first professional diploma in science diplomacy

The announcement of the program's development comes within the framework of a strategic cooperation between the Royal Scientific Society, the University, the Marie Curie Alumni Association, the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance, and the Jordanian Diplomatic Institute, in cooperation with the European Union.

The proposed program extends over nine months, with approximately 300 teaching hours distributed across seven training modules, covering pivotal issues including climate change, environmental security, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, in addition to developing negotiation, communication, and evidence-based decision-making skills.

The program combines academic knowledge with practical applications, case studies, and applied projects.

This program embodies a practical step towards translating HRH Princess Sumaya's vision of enhancing Jordan's position as a regional hub for dialogue and cooperation in the field of science diplomacy, and preparing a generation of professionals capable of using science to build bridges of understanding and cooperation between countries and societies.

In her keynote address during the seminar, titled: "The Jordanian Scientific System and its Status in Scientific Partnerships," HRH Princess Sumaya emphasized the importance of employing scientific knowledge and technology in promoting international cooperation and building peace.

Her Highness stressed the need to strengthen the partnership between scientific institutions, governments, and diplomatic bodies, and to prepare a new generation of professionals capable of bridging science and international policy.

The Princess said that her efforts, alongside her colleagues around the world, are focused on supporting dialogues and partnerships that enhance knowledge and place science and technology at the heart of efforts aimed at building a more hopeful future.

She added that scientific discovery alone does not achieve its full benefits for society unless it is supported by policies, partnerships, and the diplomatic engagement necessary to turn knowledge into action, explaining that science diplomacy provides a common language for dialogue between scientists and governments, within state institutions and across borders.

HRH Princess Sumaya also emphasized that scientific knowledge and scientific engagement must be at the heart of building sustainable peace, stressing that peace is not limited to the absence of conflict, but requires dialogue, education, equal opportunities, understanding, and a commitment to human dignity.

Her Highness recalled the World Science Forum hosted by Jordan in 2017 under the theme "Science for Peace," pointing to the importance of enhancing the role of science in facing global challenges, including water and energy security, climate change, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, which require international cooperation, as no single country can address them alone.

HRH Princess Sumaya called on young diplomats to invest their capabilities in strengthening Jordan's international relations over the coming decades by connecting Jordanian competencies and expertise with global scientific networks, building partnerships based on mutual respect, and enhancing the Kingdom's contribution to international dialogues.

She emphasized the importance of Jordanian scientific and diplomatic institutions in consolidating this approach, noting the role of the Society, the Higher Council for Science and Technology, the University, the "SESAME" center, and the Institute in supporting research, education, innovation, and expanding the horizons of international cooperation.

Her Highness praised the contributions of His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal in supporting scientific progress, regional cooperation, and human development, pointing to the role of the institutions he helped establish, including the Royal Scientific Society in 1970, the Higher Council for Science and Technology in 1987, and the Jordanian Diplomatic Institute in 1994, in laying important foundations for scientific cooperation and international openness.

Her Highness described the "SESAME" center as a practical model for science diplomacy, as it brings together researchers and member states around common scientific goals, and provides a space for cooperation and knowledge exchange despite regional tensions, noting that the importance of the center goes beyond scientific research to include building trust and promoting dialogue between states and scientific communities.

The Princess stated that Jordan possesses an institutional structure, a pivotal location, and a passion for knowledge, which qualifies it to provide an effective regional space for science diplomacy and to enhance cooperation between research and diplomatic institutions.

For their part, EU Ambassador to Jordan Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas and Director of the Jordanian Diplomatic Institute Haifa Al-Khraisha emphasized the importance of cooperation between Jordanian and European institutions in developing science diplomacy and enhancing the role of research and innovation in international relations.

The Director of the SESAME center, Dr. Khaled Toukan, said that the center acts as a super-accurate microscope, as it researches intensive "synchrotron" light, which allows for advanced research in various fields, ranging from biomedical discoveries and the development of new drugs, to the preservation of cultural heritage.

Jan Marco Müller, Team Leader at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, gave a presentation on the European Union's approach to science diplomacy and the role of research and institutional partnerships in supporting international relations.

In turn, Professor Wijdan Abu Elhaija, President of Princess Sumaya University for Technology, gave a presentation in which she reviewed the details of the new professional diploma in science diplomacy, which the university will host, explaining its objectives, main themes, academic and training structure, and the knowledge and skills it includes that combine science, technology, public policy, and diplomatic practices. She affirmed that the program is an embodiment of the vision of HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan to utilize science and knowledge to promote international dialogue and cooperation, and to prepare qualified cadres capable of linking scientific knowledge with policy-making and dealing with complex global challenges based on scientific evidence, thus contributing to enhancing Jordan's position in the field of science diplomacy.

The representative of the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance and the "CERN" center, Theodota Lagoni, also discussed the role of international networks in enhancing cooperation between scientific and diplomatic communities.

The Director of International Relations at "CERN," Dr. Ursula Bassler, discussed the lessons learned from the center's experience in developing long-term research partnerships and enhancing international institutional cooperation.

The seminar was moderated by Hanina Ben Bernou from the EU Delegation to Jordan, with the participation of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, European diplomats accredited to the Kingdom, graduates of the EU-Jordan program in European Affairs in cooperation with the College of Europe, and representatives of Jordanian scientific, technological, and research institutions.

The seminar came in the context of growing cooperation between Jordan and the European Union in the fields of research and innovation, through the strategic and comprehensive partnership between the two sides, the "Horizon Europe" program, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), in addition to bilateral programs.

The seminar concluded with the screening of a film about the 2017 World Science Forum, which was hosted by Jordan on the shores of the Dead Sea and organized by the Royal Scientific Society under the presidency of HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, with the participation of more than 3,000 scientists, thought leaders, policymakers, and academics from 120 countries, under the theme "Science for Peace."