His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday stressed the importance of improving the quality of education at the country's universities through the application of rigorous strategic planning that builds on their past achievements.

During a meeting at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) with the university president and deans, King Abdullah also emphasised the need to explore means to increase investment in scientific research and support innovative and creative Jordanians.

The King, who commended the distinguished status the university has achieved since its establishment in 1987, especially in the area of scientific research, asserted the need to continue on this path.

At the meeting, attended by Royal Court Chief Nasser Lozi and the King's Adviser Ayman Safadi, JUST President Wajih Owais highlighted the university's ongoing expansion and development.

Dr. Oweis noted that the university ranked in the top 50 among the 1,460 Universities in the Islamic world, according to the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).

He said that the university has set new standards for scientific research to contribute to finding solutions for national problems, especially in the water and energy sectors.

He added that the university has succeeded throughout past years in implementing certain programmes to attract Arab and foreign students whose numbers are estimated about 5,600 students representing 61 Arab and foreign nationalities. He pointed out that these students inject about $60 million into the Irbid governorate's economy each year.

With regard to the university's research potential, Owais said members of its teaching staff have acquired $15 million in research funding from local and international institutions over the past three years. Next year, the university will graduate its first class specialised in nuclear engineering, Owais said, noting the high demand for this specialisation.

During the visit, the King toured an exhibition featuring students' projects and achievements in the areas of medicine, engineering and renewable energy, including models of their projects.

Students briefed the King on the Internet Reactor Laboratory, a joint project of North Carolina State University and JUST, implemented in cooperation with the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, that allows JUST students to access the US university's PULSTAR nuclear reactor over the Internet in their local “Nuclear Reactor Laboratory”.

The programme was sponsored by the US Department of State under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Also Tuesday, His Majesty attended the launch of the campus-based nuclear research centre that will accommodate the Kingdom's first nuclear reactor for research and training purposes. He also unveiled a model of the research reactor, which will be built by a South Korean consortium.

The nuclear research centre, to be completed by 2015, will cost $130 million, of which $70 million will be secured through a soft loan from the South Korean government.

In a comprehensive presentation, Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Khaled Toukan noted that the nuclear research centre and reactor will have a great impact on the development of the Jordanian human resources and the establishment of scientific and research facilities, which are the most important elements for the Jordanian nuclear program.