The President of the University of Jordan, Nadeer Obeidat, stated that the most important question at present relates to the Jordanian universities’ ability to provide graduates who meet the needs of the Jordanian job market and compete in the global market, especially with the advancement of modern technologies, particularly smart technology.
This occasion came during his presidency of the opening of the ninth edition of the E-Learning Conference, under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Educational Change: Inevitable Changes and Realistic Reflections”. It has become a tradition for educational institutions to organize this conference annually, with the attendance of elite educators and experts.
Obeidat emphasized the University of Jordan’s desire to build educational programs that align with the needs of the era to prepare a generation capable of leading the future with determination and strong thinking, addressing challenges with strength and determination, enabling them to deal with developments while preserving our values and principles.
Obeidat stressed the need for educational institutions to take bold steps at all levels if we are to achieve real change and enhance sustainability and modernization.
Obeidat called for the development of new governance models that enhance the General Administration’s commitment to establishing innovative partnerships with civil society and the private sector, led by qualified youth capable of implementing this modern technology, including artificial intelligence, which can be utilized to address the challenges facing current and future generations.
Obeidat urged education officials to play a more important role in guiding policies, regulations, and social systems to ensure our alignment with the rest of the world.
Regarding the risks of artificial intelligence systems, Obeidat pointed out the importance of not forgetting that they violate our fundamental rights and freedoms, emphasizing the necessity of having a balanced vision and clear legislation that promotes the proper use of this technology, with the aim of creating a society governed by justice and equality that enjoys strength and prosperity in our beloved country.
Obeidat clarified that when we possess strength, technology, reasons for creativity, innovation, and discovery, the world will be obliged to treat us with respect, and no one will dare to aggress or provoke against our people.
The international expert in the field of artificial intelligence, Emad Shahab, raised two questions about the future of artificial intelligence: where will job opportunities be available in the future? And what skills are necessary for the job market?
He indicated that answering these two questions lies in our readiness for the future and our new definition of the nature of the job market, which can no longer be defined as it was in the past. He added that the job market today witnesses competition in skills rather than knowledge, as employers look at the skills possessed by the employee.
The conference sessions, held over two days, revolve around exploring the future of jobs, job opportunities in the era of artificial intelligence, recent developments in this field, in addition to the impact of artificial intelligence on educational change, cybersecurity, ethics related to artificial intelligence, platforms, and relevant applications in this context.
