Published Progress – SDG9

Public reporting on university progress and performance related to SDG9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

Executive Summary

Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) has established itself as a national and regional leader in innovation, applied research, and sustainable infrastructure, fully aligned with SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. Through the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), the Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, and the Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC), AAU publicly reports measurable progress in fostering industrial partnerships, supporting research commercialization, and modernizing infrastructure.

Between 2023 and 2025, AAU achieved significant milestones including:

launching industry-linked innovation projects and university–industry collaborations;

publishing research in engineering, renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and applied sciences;

investing in digital transformation and sustainable campus facilities; and

maintaining transparent reporting of innovation metrics and infrastructure performance through the Sustainability Portal and annual Sustainability and Executive Reports.

All progress is verifiable, publicly available, and directly contributes to UN SDG 9 targets (9.1–9.5) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Centers and Departments

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01Sustainability and International Ranking Center (SIRC)

Oversees SDG data integration and reporting. Publishes innovation and infrastructure performance metrics.

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02Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

Promotes start-ups and entrepreneurial research. Publishes data on student innovation and business projects.

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03Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research

Conducts applied R&D with industrial impact. Provides innovation outputs and patent data.

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04Faculty of Engineering

Drives technology and infrastructure research. Reports on academic projects supporting industry needs.

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05Marketing and Communications Unit

Disseminates public innovation news and reports. Ensures visibility and open access to AAU’s achievements.

Activities

01AAU Sustainability Report 2024 – 2025

AAU’s Sustainability Report 2024–2025 presents verified data on innovation projects, research funding, and smart infrastructure initiatives. It demonstrates AAU’s measurable progress toward industrial innovation and technology development under SDG 9 and SDG 17.

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02Executive Sustainability Report (SDG 9 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 Patent Registration for Pharmaceutical Innovation

AAU registered a pharmaceutical compound for cancer treatment in partnership with the Hashemite University and the University of Jordan, marking a major achievement in scientific innovation and industrial research. The patent’s public announcement demonstrates AAU’s commitment to applied R&D and transparency in knowledge transfer aligned with SDG 9 and SDG 3.

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04Faculty of Engineering Scientific Day with the Jordan Engineers Association

The Faculty of Engineering organized a Scientific Day in cooperation with the Jordan Engineers Association, featuring applied research on green technologies, renewable energy, and infrastructure innovation. This publicly reported event strengthened university-industry linkages and promoted knowledge exchange supporting SDG 9 and SDG 17.

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05Dr. Hijazi Wins First Place for Best Research Paper at ICASF

Dr. Hijazi from AAU earned first place for best research paper at the ICASF 2024 Conference hosted by Abu Dhabi University, focusing on innovation and sustainability in engineering. This achievement showcases AAU’s academic excellence and its role in advancing applied research and industrial innovation aligned with SDG 9 and SDG 17.

Impact Evaluation & Development Plan

Performance Evaluation

Public Innovation and Infrastructure Reporting AAU’s Sustainability Report 2024–2025 and the Executive Sustainability Report (SDG 9 Section) provide comprehensive data on:
patents and intellectual-property outputs;
applied-research projects and industrial collaboration;
major infrastructure upgrades and digital transformation initiatives.

These documents are published on AAU’s website, ensuring transparency, traceability, and alignment with THE Impact Ranking evidence requirements for SDG 9.
- Research, Patents, and Commercialization The Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research and the Faculty of Engineering lead applied research that generates prototypes, new technologies, and industry-transferable solutions. A notable output is the AAU patent registration for pharmaceutical innovation, which demonstrates the university’s ability to translate research into protectable intellectual property with potential societal and economic impact.
- Industry Collaboration and Professional Networks AAU actively connects with professional bodies and industry associations to promote innovation and applied engineering solutions. For example:
- The Faculty of Engineering Scientific Day with the Jordan Engineers Association serves as a platform for presenting engineering research, discussing infrastructure challenges, and fostering collaboration between academia and the engineering profession.
- The participation of AAU academics in international scientific forums, such as Dr. Hijazi winning first place for Best Research Paper at ICASF, highlights AAU’s contribution to global innovation dialogue and enhances the visibility of its research excellence.
- Entrepreneurship and Start-up Support The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) supports student and faculty start-ups through:
- Training and capacity-building programs;
- mentoring and networking with investors and industry;
- incubation and pre-incubation opportunities.
Selected outcomes from the CIE Start-Up Incubation Program are shared through news articles and sustainability reports, showcasing AAU’s role in promoting an enabling ecosystem for innovation-driven economic growth.
- Sustainable Infrastructure and Digital Transformation AAU continues to upgrade its campus infrastructure by:
- Expanding smart classrooms and digitally enabled learning environments;
- integrating renewable-energy systems into buildings (in synergy with SDG 7);
- improving campus connectivity and digital services to support research, innovation, and industry collaboration.
These infrastructure investments are documented in AAU’s sustainability reporting, confirming the link between physical infrastructure, innovation capacity, and SDG 9 implementation.
- Open Access and Transparency All major innovation achievements, research partnerships, and infrastructure projects are publicly shared via AAU’s Sustainability Portal and official news platforms. This reinforces AAU’s commitment to transparent, evidence-based reporting and supports external benchmarking, including the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Development Actions
Action 1: Innovation Performance Dashboard (2025–2028) Develop a public, interactive dashboard that tracks key innovation indicators, including patents, applied-research outputs, industrial partnerships, and start-up activities. Target: Dashboard launched by 2026, with quarterly updates. Action 2: AAU Applied Research Fund (2025–2028) Establish a dedicated fund to support industry-focused R&D projects in engineering, health, digital technologies, and sustainable infrastructure. Target: At least 5 new applied-research projects funded annually, with results published and disseminated. Action 3: Smart Infrastructure Plan 2030 (2025–2028) Implement a phased plan to upgrade campus facilities to low-carbon, high-efficiency standards, including smart-building technologies and resilient digital infrastructure. Target: 30 % reduction in energy intensity per square meter by 2028 compared with the 2023 baseline. Action 4: Technology Transfer and Industry Partnerships (2025–2028) Formalize and expand collaboration with industrial, pharmaceutical, engineering, and tech entities in Jordan and abroad, focusing on technology transfer, co-developed products, and joint R&D. Target: At least 3 new international or national MoUs per year, publicly listed and reported within SDG 9 evidence. Action 5: Annual Innovation and Industry Forum (2025–2028) Host an annual public innovation forum at AAU showcasing student and faculty projects, start-ups, patents, and industry collaborations, with participation from companies, professional bodies, and investors. Target: 1 forum per year with more than 500 participants; outcomes documented and published as part of AAU’s SDG 9 reporting.
Benchmarking & Best Practice
Benchmarking Reference AAU benchmarks its SDG 9 reporting framework against leading universities such as:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA;
- University of Cambridge, UK;
- Khalifa University, UAE.
These institutions are recognized for transparent innovation reporting, strong technology-transfer ecosystems, and integrated infrastructure-development strategies. Adopted Practices AAU incorporates key elements from these models, including:
- public access to data on patents, research outputs, and innovation indicators;
- integration of infrastructure and R&D metrics into sustainability and executive reports;
- cross-sector partnerships connecting academia, industry, and government;
- linking innovation performance with national development priorities.
Localization to Jordan’s Context AAU aligns its SDG 9 initiatives with:
- Jordan’s National Innovation Strategy (2023–2028);
- the Economic Modernization Vision 2033.
This alignment ensures that global best practices are translated into locally relevant actions that support Jordan’s industrial competitiveness, digital transformation, and innovation-driven growth. Future Goal (by 2028) Establish the AAU Innovation and Technology Observatory, a digital hub that maps research impact, start-up growth, infrastructure development, and industry partnerships. The Observatory will publish regular analytical briefs and dashboards, supporting evidence-based decision-making for SDG 9 at institutional and national levels. Institutional Integration Summary At Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU), the implementation and public reporting of SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure are coordinated through a structured governance framework that integrates research, entrepreneurship, and sustainability operations. The Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC) collects and verifies innovation and infrastructure data submitted by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, the Faculty of Engineering, and other relevant units. All indicators, such as research funding, industrial partnerships, patent registrations, start-up outputs, and digital-infrastructure metrics, are reviewed for accuracy and consistency, and then approved by the University Presidency before public publication via AAU’s Sustainability Portal, Annual Sustainability Report, and Executive Summaries. This workflow ensures that AAU’s innovation achievements are evidence-based, externally verifiable, and publicly accessible, fully aligned with UN SDG 9 targets (9.1–9.5) and Jordan’s National Innovation Strategy (2023–2028). By embedding innovation governance into its core institutional structure, AAU demonstrates a university-wide culture of creativity, sustainability, and technological progress, directly advancing SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

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