Jordan Times
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Latin Patriarchate university
to get Pope’s blessing
By Rula Samain
AMMAN - During his upcoming visit to the Kingdom, Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled
to bless the foundation stone of Madaba University (MU), expected to open in
October 2010.
Father Rifat Bader, a Roman Catholic priest, said the university, situated on a
500-dunum plot of land six kilometres outside Madaba, is an extension of the
Latin Patriarchate educational plan in the Kingdom.
The first patriarchate school in Jordan was established in Salt in 1848. Today,
there are patriarchate schools in more than 20 cities around the Kingdom
including Madaba, Zarqa, Mafraq, Karak and Fuheis.
Victor Billeh, president designate of MU, told The Jordan Times that the
institution will develop a set of characteristics that will make it unique among
the Kingdom’s private universities.
“The university will adopt modern curricula in cooperation with a number of
American and European universities,” he said, adding that MU will focus on
specialisations that are either new or highly in demand on the local and
regional markets.
The university plans to offer 34 fields of specialisation, including business
and finance, engineering, health science, and art and design.
Billeh noted that lectures will be conducted in English, and students will be
required to participate in at least four semesters of athletic, social or
cultural activities.
The nonprofit university is envisioned to ultimately host 8,000 students, but
Billeh said MU will admit a limited number of students in each specialisation
every year to increase competition and ensure a high quality of students.
“In some fields that require specialised teachers, like special needs classes,
we will limit the enrolment to around 20 students,” he said.
Billeh also pointed out that the faculty will benefit from several incentives.
“Besides good salaries and other benefits, MU will implement a policy of sending
instructors who are master’s degree holders to obtain PhD certificates from
universities with joint programmes abroad,” he said.
MU is projected to be an environment-friendly and self-sustaining campus, making
use of geothermal energy for both heating and cooling.
Father Riyad Hijazeen, a Roman Catholic priest in Madaba, expressed hope that
the presence of a modern university in the governorate will boost educational
standards and quality of life.
Madaba Mayor Aref Abu Rajouh also said the governorate is looking forward to
hosting the university, and is already working on providing the appropriate
infrastructure.
“The governorate is ready to receive students and already has plans to
accommodate them,” he told The Jordan Times.