Published Progress – SDG8

Public reporting on university progress and performance related to SDG8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Executive Summary

Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) demonstrates a strong, transparent, and measurable commitment to promoting sustainable economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all, in full alignment with SDG 8. Through the Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC), the Career Development and Training Office, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), and the Human Resources and Institutional Development Unit, AAU continuously publishes verified data and initiatives that support student employability, entrepreneurship, staff well-being, and inclusive economic participation.

Between 2023 and 2025, AAU recorded major achievements in:

expanding career-readiness and internship programs across local and international sectors;

fostering entrepreneurship and innovation incubation through specialized centers and competitions;

adopting ethical employment and equal-opportunity policies for all staff; and

documenting economic-impact activities through public sustainability reports and online transparency tools.

All initiatives and results are publicly available on AAU’s Sustainability Portal and official news channels, ensuring openness, credibility, and compliance with UN SDG 8 targets (8.3–8.6) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Centers and Departments

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01Sustainability and International Ranking Center (SIRC)

Oversees data collection and SDG reporting. Publishes annual employment and entrepreneurship indicators.

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02Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

Incubates start-ups and trains students in business skills. Reports on job creation and innovation outcomes.

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03Human Resources and Institutional Development Unit

Implements ethical employment policies. Publicly shares staff well-being and equal-opportunity data.

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04Finance Department

Tracks economic and budgetary impact of employment programs. Ensures financial transparency and resource allocation for SDG 8.

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05Deanship of Student Affairs

Coordinates student volunteering and on-campus work opportunities. and on-campus work opportunities. Publishes participation reports and impact metrics.

Activities

01AAU Sustainability Report 2024 – 2025

AAU’s Sustainability Report 2024-2025 transparently details graduate-employment rates, entrepreneurship outcomes, and staff-development achievements. The report provides quantitative evidence of AAU’s contribution to Jordan’s national economic growth and decent-work agenda, fulfilling SDG 8 and SDG 17.

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02Executive Sustainability Report (SDG 7 Section) 2024–2025

The Executive Report summarizes AAU’s institutional performance in job creation, skill development, and entrepreneurship training. It provides open, verified data on staff-employment conditions and student-employability programs, aligning with SDG 8 targets (8.3 – 8.6).

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03AAU Career Accelerator and INJAZ Partnership

AAU participated in the Career Accelerator Program – Employment, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with INJAZ to enhance students’ practical training and job-readiness. The program bridges academia and the labor market, promoting inclusive economic participation and transparent reporting toward SDG 8 and SDG 17.

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04AAU and Bab Al Qamar Jeeny Cooperation Agreement

AAU signed a cooperation agreement with Bab Al Qamar Jeeny to advance digital-skills training and practical employment programs for students. The collaboration enhances workforce readiness, aligns educational outcomes with labor-market needs, and is publicly reported as part of AAU’s SDG 8 impact.

05Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) – Start-Up Incubation Program

The CIE fosters student entrepreneurship through business-plan competitions, mentorship programs, and startup incubation. Its outcomes are publicly shared via sustainability reports, highlighting AAU’s contribution to job creation, innovation, and sustainable economic growth under SDG 8 and SDG 9.

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06AAU Recognized in THE Impact Rankings 2025 (Decent Work and Economic Growth Category)

AAU achieved global recognition by ranking within the 101–200 band in THE Impact Rankings 2025, reflecting its excellence in decent work policies, entrepreneurship support, and economic impact. This publicly accessible achievement strengthens the University’s accountability and progress reporting under SDG 8 and SDG 17.

Impact Evaluation & Development Plan

Performance Evaluation

Transparent Employment and Economic-Impact ReportingAAU’s annual Sustainability Report and Executive Sustainability Report include dedicated sections on SDG 8 that disclose:
graduate employability indicators;
internship and practical-training statistics;
key partnerships that enhance students’ access to decent work and economic opportunities.

Key documents include:
- AAU Sustainability Report 2024–2025
- Executive Sustainability Report – SDG 8 Section 2024–2025
These reports confirm tangible progress in job creation, workforce development, and youth economic empowerment, and are publicly accessible via the university’s website.
- Career Development and Employability Partnerships (SDG 8.5 & 8.6)Through the Career Development and Training Office, AAU implements structured career-readiness and employability programs, including:
- The AAU Career Accelerator in partnership with INJAZ, which provides training, mentoring, and direct links to the labor market for students and fresh graduates;
- The cooperation agreement with Bab Al Qamar Jeeny to enhance practical training and digital skills, strengthening students’ readiness for future jobs and the digital economy.
These initiatives are documented through annual reports and news articles, demonstrating AAU’s contribution to decent work and youth employment in line with national and international SDG 8 priorities.
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem (SDG 8.3)The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) supports student and graduate start-ups by:
- Offering incubation services and innovation-competition programs;
- Providing mentoring, business-model development, and employer-matching services;
- Linking entrepreneurial activities to local and regional markets.
Selected outcomes of the CIE Start-Up Incubation Program and student-led projects are published through AAU’s news portal and sustainability platform, highlighting the university’s role in promoting an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
- Fair Work, Labor Rights, and Staff Development (SDG 8.5)The Human Resources and Institutional Development Unit enforces a comprehensive Decent Work and Labor Rights framework that includes:
- Non-discrimination and equal-opportunity provisions;
- Fair recruitment and promotion procedures;
- Access to professional-development and upskilling opportunities for academic and administrative staff.
Where applicable, these principles are reflected in AAU’s HR policies and are summarized in the university’s sustainability reporting, underscoring AAU’s commitment to fair, safe, and equitable work conditions.
- Research and Economic-Transformation ImpactThe Deanship of Scientific Research supports applied research projects that address:
- Jordan’s economic transformation and green growth;
- Entrepreneurship ecosystems and SME development;
- Youth employment challenges and future-of-work skills.
The findings of these projects are disseminated through scientific publications and public events, contributing to evidence-based policy dialogue on SDG 8.
- Public Disclosure, Recognition, and Accountability All SDG 8-related policies, programs, and achievements are openly accessible via the Sustainability Portal and official news channels. AAU’s performance in Decent Work and Economic Growth has been recognized in international frameworks such as the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 (SDG 8 category), reinforcing the credibility and visibility of its published progress.
Development Actions
Action 1: Employability Transparency Dashboard (2025–2028) Develop an open online dashboard displaying key graduate-employment indicators, internship placements, and skills-development participation rates. Target: Dashboard launched by 2026 and updated annually with SDG 8 metrics. Action 2: Expanded Start-Up Incubation Program (2025–2028) Scale up the CIE incubator to support more student- and graduate-led enterprises through mentorship, seed-support opportunities, and market-linkage activities. Target: At least 20 new start-ups supported by 2028, with outcomes reported publicly. Action 3: “AAU Skills for the Future” Program (2025–2028) Offer industry-aligned micro-credentials and short courses in areas such as digital skills, green jobs, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Target: 1,000 students certified per year; program outcomes integrated into SDG 8 reporting. Action 4: Fair Work and Staff Well-Being Audit (2025–2028) Conduct an annual internal audit on employment equality, staff satisfaction, and professional-development access, with summarized results published. Target: Annual “Decent Work and Staff Well-Being Report” issued starting in 2025. Action 5: Regional Internship and Employment Consortium (2025–2028) Build a regional network with private-sector companies, NGOs, and partner universities to offer structured internships and early-career opportunities. Target: 200 internship and training placements annually by 2027, documented through AAU’s sustainability portal.
Benchmarking & Best Practice
Benchmarking Reference: AAU benchmarks its SDG 8 public-reporting framework against leading institutions such as:
- University College London (UK)
- University of Melbourne (Australia)
- American University of Beirut (Lebanon)
These universities are recognized for transparent employability reporting, strong entrepreneurship ecosystems, and documented economic-impact contributions. Adopted Practices: AAU incorporates key practices from these models, including:
- Open-access disclosure of graduate-employment statistics;
- Integration of entrepreneurship and innovation metrics into sustainability reporting;
- Alignment of Human Resources policies with SDG 8 principles on decent work and equal opportunity;
- Public reporting on internships, skills programs, and labor-market partnerships.
Localization to Jordan’s Context: AAU aligns its SDG 8 initiatives with:
- Jordan Vision 2033;
- The National Employment Strategy 2021–2030;
- Higher Education Accreditation Commission quality indicators.
This ensures that international best practices are translated into context-specific measures that support Jordan’s economic priorities and youth employment agendas. Future Goal (by 2028): Establish the AAU Innovation and Employment Observatory, a unified platform that links research outputs, entrepreneurship indicators, and labor-market data. The Observatory will publish regular analytical briefs and dashboards, supporting evidence-based decision-making on decent work and economic growth at both institutional and national levels.

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