Scientific research prize for Jordanian students launched

AMMAN — The Middle Eastern Studies Centre (MESC) on Wednesday launched the 20th session of the Scientific Research Prize for Jordanian Universities’ Students, aimed at encouraging high quality research and application of critical thinking to economic, political and intellectual problems  faced by the students and their community.

Organised in cooperation with the University of Jordan, the Jordan University of Science and Technology, Philadelphia University and the Applied Sciences University, the accolade comprises a total of 21 research fields divided into three broad categories: local, Arab and Islamic studies; the study of the Arab - Israeli conflict; and international studies. 

The award is open to all university students currently enrolled in Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, and all submitted research papers should have never been published before. 

“This prize applies high standards in evaluating the researches in order to encourage Jordanian students to develop their skills and empower their capabilities,” MESC Vice President Bayan Omari said, adding that “from our experience, Jordanian students need to concentrate more on critical thinking, different research methods and foreign languages as an investigative tool”.

Asked about the expectations for this year’s edition of the award, Omari told The Jordan Times that “every year, the prize’s administration chooses its suggested research topics in accordance with the latest developments in Jordan and the region”, stressing the need to “connect the research fields and topics to society needs in order to motivate the students to think likewise in their studies and prospective careers”.

According to the centre’s director, Jordan is suffering from a gap between research in the applied sciences field and the human and social sciences area. “The current literature in the latter is still below expectation and the number and quality of students enrolled in degrees within this field are lesser than those of applied sciences,” he stated.

“Besides, the Kingdom is suffering from a problem regarding higher education as a whole,” he added, attributing it to “the insufficient funds that the government and international agencies provide to the universities, which affect the development of higher education as much as the development process in the country”.