Best Practice Exchange (17.2.4)

International research partnerships reviewing comparative approaches and developing SDG best practices.

Introduction:

Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) demonstrates a strong and measurable commitment to international best-practice exchange through cross-border research partnerships that compare sustainability models, evaluate SDG implementation frameworks, and co-develop transferable solutions aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
Through the Sustainability & International Ranking Center and the Global Engagement Center, AAU collaborates with universities, research networks, NGOs, and intergovernmental institutions to exchange policy evidence, harmonize methodologies, and generate comparative analyses that strengthen global SDG implementation.

Between 2023 and 2025, AAU engaged in more than 20 international knowledge-exchange events and collaborative programs, resulting in joint policy papers, comparative research outputs, and open-access sustainability toolkits. Each partnership emphasizes south–south cooperation, mutual learning, and the adaptation of global best practices to regional contexts, core principles of SDG 17.

Centers and Departments:

January
01

1. Sustainability and International Ranking Center

The Sustainability and International Ranking Center (SIRC) serves as AAU’s institutional hub for global sustainability coordination, SDG data management, and best-practice development.

SIRC leads the university’s participation in UI GreenMetric, THE Impact Ranking, and QS Sustainability, ensuring that comparative research findings and successful case studies are shared internationally.

It organizes global forums, benchmarking projects, and joint policy reviews with partner universities to strengthen AAU’s contribution to the global SDG knowledge ecosystem.

January
01

2. Global Engagement Center

The Global Engagement Center leads AAU’s international partnerships and strategic alliances.

It coordinates cross-border research collaborations, exchange programs, and multi-stakeholder dialogues that promote comparative learning and the exchange of SDG best practices.

Through this center, AAU maintains active MoUs with global universities and networks to benchmark sustainability policies, share case studies, and co-publish joint research.

The center ensures that AAU remains a key contributor to international SDG knowledge exchange, supporting SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

January
01

3. Deanship of Scientific Research & Graduate Studies

The Deanship of Scientific Research & Graduate Studies fosters international cooperation in academic research and comparative policy analysis.

It supports joint comparative studies, co-authored publications, and peer-review initiatives with regional and global partners.

Through its research-funding programs, the Deanship ensures that findings on sustainability and governance are disseminated across international networks, advancing SDG 17.6 (Best Practice Exchange) and strengthening global research visibility.

January
01

4. Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research

The Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research supports interdisciplinary collaboration and applied innovation across borders.

It contributes to joint comparative studies in renewable energy, environmental science, and health technologies, producing research outputs that inform international SDG best practices.

The center’s laboratories host visiting researchers and facilitate the exchange of experimental data, reinforcing AAU’s role in global sustainability partnerships.

January
01

5. Teaching and Learning Center (TLC)

AAU’s Teaching and Learning Center promotes innovative, evidence-based pedagogy through collaboration with regional and international academic institutions.

The center organizes faculty-development workshops and comparative teaching-excellence programs, sharing effective methods for embedding sustainability and SDGs in curricula.

By facilitating global exchange of educational models, it ensures that AAU’s learning practices reflect internationally recognized SDG education standards, directly supporting SDG 4 and SDG 17.6.

January
01

6. Hourani e-Learning Center

The Hourani e-Learning Center enhances AAU’s digital transformation and facilitates online collaboration with global partners.

It develops virtual platforms for joint webinars, comparative case-study repositories, and shared digital resources that enable the international exchange of sustainability best practices.

The center’s e-learning tools connect educators and researchers worldwide, supporting continuous innovation aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships).

January
01

7. Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship strengthens AAU’s partnerships with industry, government agencies, and international incubators to promote innovation and sustainability.

It facilitates the exchange of entrepreneurial best practices, comparative research on start-up ecosystems, and innovation-policy benchmarking across the Arab region and beyond.

Through these collaborations, the center contributes directly to SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 9 (Industry & Innovation), and SDG 17.6 (Best Practice Exchange).

January
01

8. Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Center

The Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Center collaborates with international medical institutions and research networks to compare and improve diagnostic and pharmaceutical practices.

Its joint studies contribute to the exchange of clinical and laboratory best practices in line with SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-Being) and SDG 17 (Partnerships).

The center provides validated data and methodological insights that feed into global comparative research on public health.

January
01

9. Computer Center

The Computer Center provides advanced IT infrastructure and secure data-exchange systems supporting AAU’s international collaborations.

It ensures data integrity, cybersecurity, and digital connectivity for global SDG research partnerships, enabling smooth sharing of comparative results and analytics dashboards.

By maintaining robust information systems, it underpins the university’s capacity for AI-assisted benchmarking and evidence-driven best-practice exchange.

January
01

10. Women’s Health Center

The Women’s Health Center collaborates with NGOs, healthcare organizations, and universities to share best practices in women’s health, empowerment, and community well-being.

By exchanging research findings and community-outreach models, the center contributes to global comparative efforts advancing SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 17 (Best Practice Partnerships).

Activities:

January
01

1. International Cooperation Agreement with MARA University of Technology (Malaysia)

AAU signed an international cooperation agreement with UiTM Malaysia to exchange research expertise, develop joint datasets, and compare sustainability approaches in education and innovation.

The partnership promotes mutual learning and the development of replicable SDG best practices between Asia and the Middle East.

January
01

2. Cooperation with the Global Academy for Digital Health and AI

Through its collaboration with the Global Academy for Digital Health and AI, AAU participates in international comparative research on digital health, AI applications, and medical education transformation.

The partnership facilitates knowledge exchange and benchmarking of digital-health solutions supporting SDG 3 and SDG 9.

January
01

3. Participation in the First World Public Assembly (Moscow)

AAU joined the First World Public Assembly in Moscow alongside universities, government agencies, and NGOs to review international SDG implementation practices.

This platform enabled the exchange of comparative policy approaches and joint recommendations for sustainable higher-education systems.

January
01

4. Arab Global Investors Forum – Comparative Innovation and Research Models

AAU’s participation in the Arab Global Investors Forum fostered comparative dialogue on innovation ecosystems and research funding models in the Arab region.

The event enhanced regional cooperation and shared best practices in sustainability-oriented economic development, aligning with SDG 9 and SDG 17.

January
01

5. Egyptian Delegation Visit – Regional Policy Dialogue and Exchange of SDG Practices

AAU welcomed an Egyptian academic delegation to share experiences in higher-education policy, research management, and sustainability programs.

The dialogue produced comparative insights into Arab regional SDG implementation frameworks, reinforcing south–south cooperation

Impact Evaluation & Development Plan

A. Performance Evaluation

International Research Partnerships

AAU maintains a growing ecosystem of international MoUs and joint research agreements with globally recognized partners, including:

MARA University of Technology (Malaysia): Joint comparative research on innovation, digital learning, and SDG institutional models.

Global Academy for Digital Health and AI: Collaboration on digital health, AI-enabled sustainability indicators, and cross-national SDG assessments.

University West (Sweden): Exchange of sustainable industry and workforce-development models.

These partnerships generate comparative studies on digital health, renewable energy innovation, inclusive education, and SDG data governance.

Global Best-Practice Exchange Activities

AAU actively participates in high-level platforms that promote comparative SDG learning, including:

First World Public Assembly (Moscow): Cross-border dialogue on SDG governance, sustainability indicators, and evidence-based public policy.

Arab Global Investors Forum: Exchange on comparative research and innovation ecosystems and their relevance to SDG 8, SDG 9, and SDG 17.

Egyptian Delegation Visit to AAU: Dialogue on regional sustainability practices, inclusive development models, and shared SDG policy frameworks.

Comparative Framework Development

AAU co-develops comparative frameworks for assessing higher-education SDG performance, linking academic indicators with:

UN SDG targets

UI GreenMetric criteria

THE Impact Ranking metadata

QS Sustainability metrics

These frameworks guide joint publications, capacity-building workshops, and methodological exchanges.

Knowledge Dissemination

Comparative research outputs are shared through:

International conferences

Collaborative webinars

Open-access reports

Peer-reviewed scientific publications

AAU systematically integrates global lessons into institutional sustainability strategies, staff development programs, and curriculum enhancement.

B. Development Actions

Action 1: AAU Global SDG Best Practice Forum

Launch an annual international forum convening universities, NGOs, government agencies, and research centers to exchange SDG models. Output: Over 100 participants yearly; publication of the “AAU SDG Best Practice Compendium.”

Action 2: Joint Comparative Research Grants

Provide competitive funding for multi-country comparative SDG studies. Output: Minimum of five comparative research papers published annually.

Action 3: SDG Policy Benchmarking Initiative

Develop regional benchmarking tools to compare institutional performance. Output: Online regional SDG benchmarking dashboard by 2027.

Action 4: Global Mentorship & Training Network

Train researchers and practitioners in comparative policy methods, sustainability metrics, and evidence synthesis. Output: Certification program; more than 200 participants trained by 2028.

Action 5: “AAU SDG Insights Series”

Biannual publication sharing lessons learned from global partnerships, UN-aligned case studies, and comparative assessments. Output: Open-access, multilingual publication series.

C. Benchmarking & Best Practice

Benchmarking Reference

AAU benchmarks its best-practice exchange against global SDG leaders, including:

University of Cambridge (UK)

National University of Singapore (NUS)

University of Cape Town (South Africa)

These institutions integrate comparative research, evidence-based policy translation, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, serving as models for AAU’s own practices.

Adopted Practices

AAU incorporates:

Comparative policy-learning frameworks

FAIR data standards

Peer-reviewed methodology validation

Regional benchmarking datasets

Structured cross-institutional evidence exchange

Localization

AAU adapts global models to national and regional contexts by prioritizing:

Renewable energy governance

Digital transformation & EdTech

Inclusive education and disability services

Climate resilience and green innovation

This ensures global best practices are made relevant and actionable in Jordan and the Arab region.

Future Benchmark Goal (2028)

AAU seeks to establish the Center for Comparative SDG Research & Best Practice Exchange, a regional hub for:

Multi-country research

Policy benchmarking

SDG data harmonization

Regional knowledge dissemination

Leadership training for comparative SDG policy research

This center will position AAU among the leading universities in the Arab region for SDG comparative research.