The University of Petra hosted the Malaysian–Jordanian Cultural Exchange Program, organized by the Embassy of Malaysia in Amman, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
President of the University of Petra, Professor Rami Abdel-Rahem, stated that the event highlights the deep-rooted relations between Jordan and Malaysia, which date back to 1965. He praised the academic excellence of Malaysian universities he observed during his visit to Malaysia in 2024, as well as the country's distinguished model of peaceful coexistence and cultural diversity.
Professor Abdel-Rahem affirmed that over the past three years, the University of Petra has signed more than 120 memoranda of understanding with institutions in 17 countries, with Malaysia ranking first among them. He explained that the University is currently linked to ten research memoranda of understanding and three institutional cooperation agreements with Malaysian universities.
He also noted that international students make up approximately 12% of the University's total student population of around 8,000 students, representing 33 nationalities. He further highlighted that the University has obtained American, British, German, Canadian, and French accreditations, and that its researchers have published nearly 700 peer-reviewed scientific papers during the current year.
For his part, Malaysian Ambassador Dato' Muhammad Nasri Abdul Rahman emphasized the strength and continuous development of bilateral relations between the two countries. He pointed to the important role played by Malaysian students studying in Jordan as cultural ambassadors, and stressed the importance of continuing cooperation in education and people-to-people communication as key pillars of diplomatic relations.
The program included five artistic and cultural performances presented by students from Malaysia and Jordan, reflecting the civilizational diversity and cultural identity of both countries through music and traditional dances. It also featured an interactive cultural competition aimed at enhancing mutual knowledge, during which a travel ticket to Malaysia was awarded as a prize to one of the winners.
It is worth noting that diplomatic relations between Jordan and Malaysia were established in 1965. Malaysia opened its first embassy in Jordan in 1994, while the Jordanian Embassy was inaugurated in Kuala Lumpur in 1997. Since then, relations have witnessed exchanges of royal visits and high-level delegations
