List of reports and supporting evidence related to this goal.
Sustainability Report – SDG09 (9.0)
Introduction:
Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) places innovation, digital transformation, and industry collaboration at the center of its sustainability strategy, fully aligned with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure. Through a comprehensive ecosystem of policies, applied research capabilities, industrial partnerships, advanced laboratories, and an expanding network of technology-driven collaborations, the University aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and encourage innovation across disciplines.
AAU integrates innovation-driven learning, research commercialization, and industrial engagement into its institutional planning, ensuring that students, faculty, and strategic partners contribute to national economic growth and future-ready development. The University’s policies, such as the University Spin-Off Support Policy, Industrial and Commercial Research Funding Policy, and Academic Resources & Targeted Research Expansion Policy, provide a structural foundation that supports entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and scalable innovation.
The Sustainability Report and Executive SDG 9 Report offer comprehensive documentation of AAU’s progress, including new research outputs, industry partnerships, research funding growth, infrastructure development, and international cooperation with leading universities and companies. These reports validate AAU’s commitment to fostering innovation ecosystems, strengthening industrial linkages, and enabling sustainable technological advancement in Jordan and beyond.
- Report Name: Decent Work and Economic Growth– 2024-2025
- Executive Summary:
The 2024–2025 SDG 9 Executive Sustainability Report highlights Al-Ahliyya Amman University’s strategic expansion of its innovation ecosystem and industrial research infrastructure. During this period, AAU significantly strengthened its applied research landscape through the implementation of advanced laboratory upgrades, increased investment in industrial partnerships, and support for entrepreneurship and technology commercialization.
A major achievement of this year was the activation of AAU’s Spin-Off Support System, which integrates mentorship, incubation, and commercialization pathways to empower student and faculty-led enterprises. The University’s policy framework—especially the Spin-Off Support Policy and Industrial & Commercial Research Funding Policy—enabled systematic support for prototype development, intellectual property protection, and applied industrial research projects.
AAU also expanded its industrial collaboration portfolio through new memoranda of cooperation with leading companies in electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, digital health, recycling industries, and advanced manufacturing. Partnerships with institutions such as KIA Jordan, the First Paper and Cardboard Recycling Company, Optimum Partners, and the Global Academy for Digital Health & AI have elevated AAU’s role in providing applied training, joint research, and workforce development for high-demand sectors.
Internationally, AAU strengthened research and innovation mobility through its cooperation agreement with MARA University of Technology in Malaysia, enhancing joint applied research, scientific exchange programs, and collaborative innovation projects.
The report further documents infrastructural growth, including investments in research laboratories, simulation facilities, engineering workshops, and digital infrastructure supporting AI-based learning and experimentation. Academic programs were updated to incorporate industry-based learning, real-world problem-solving, and innovation competencies.
Overall, the 2024–2025 cycle demonstrates AAU’s commitment to enabling sustainable industrial innovation and contributing to Jordan’s digital economy and green industrial transformation. Through integrated policies, international engagement, and strong industry linkages, AAU continues to position itself as a leading driver of innovation and sustainable economic growth in the region.
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- Report Name: Decent Work and Economic Growth– 2023-2024
- Executive Summary:
The 2023–2024 Sustainability Report for SDG 9 provides a comprehensive overview of Al-Ahliyya Amman University’s accelerated progress in industrial partnerships, research innovation, and infrastructure modernization. This year marked an important transition toward embedding applied research and innovative technologies within both academic and operational systems across the University.
AAU expanded its research infrastructure to enhance engineering, medical, and digital transformation disciplines by upgrading laboratories, deploying advanced instrumentation, and integrating AI-driven research tools. These investments supported significant growth in applied research outputs, particularly in renewable energy solutions, materials engineering, automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, and electric vehicle technologies.
A core milestone of 2023–2024 was the implementation of the University’s Academic Resources & Targeted Research Expansion Policy, which strategically allocates academic and research resources toward high-impact national priority areas. This helped increase interdisciplinary research collaboration, strengthen faculty development programs, and improve targeted funding for industrial research.
The year also witnessed the expansion of AAU’s industrial engagement through formal agreements with recycling industries, technological firms, training organizations, and global partners. These partnerships enabled the delivery of real-world experiential learning, joint applied research, industrial training for students, and professional development opportunities for faculty. Moreover, collaborations in electric vehicle engineering, circular economy practices, digital health, and AI technologies supported the alignment of research activities with national economic priorities.
AAU made significant progress in supporting entrepreneurship by implementing procedures for spin-off mentorship and prototype development, creating structured pipelines for transforming student innovations into market-ready solutions. The University’s sustainability governance system, led by the Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC), ensured continuous monitoring and performance measurement through evidence-based planning and structured reporting mechanisms.
In summary, the 2023–2024 period established the foundation for a scalable, innovation-driven institutional model at AAU. Through strong policies, modern infrastructure, and strategic industrial linkages, the University advanced its mission to promote sustainable industrialization, support innovative enterprises, and contribute to national development in alignment with SDG 9.
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Impact Evaluation & Development Plan
- Performance Evaluation
- Structured Assessment Tools
AAU uses a comprehensive set of structured assessment tools to evaluate performance in innovation, applied research, and industry collaboration. These tools include innovation-readiness rubrics, research commercialization indicators, prototype evaluation forms, industrial partnership scorecards, and spin-off incubation performance metrics. Assessment instruments also measure research output growth, technology transfer effectiveness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and infrastructure utilization efficiency.
This systematic approach ensures evidence-based evaluation of AAU’s contributions to sustainable industrialization, digital transformation, and innovation capacity-building.
- Annual Assessment Cycles
AAU conducts annual assessment cycles that track progress in research productivity, industrial engagement, innovation practices, infrastructure upgrades, and entrepreneurship outcomes. Each cycle evaluates:
- number and impact of applied research projects,
- industry-funded research growth,
- start-up and spin-off development performance,
- efficiency of laboratory and research facilities,
- interdisciplinary innovation outcomes,
- international collaboration outputs.
The yearly cycle enables continuous refinement of strategies, ensuring alignment with national innovation priorities and global SDG9 standards.
- Quantitative & Qualitative Indicators
The SDG9 evaluation framework incorporates diverse data sources and indicators, including:
Quantitative Indicators
- number of industry partnerships (MoUs, joint labs, research agreements),
- volume of external industrial research funding,
- number of spin-offs, patents, prototypes, and technology-transfer outputs,
- research publications in engineering, technology, and applied sciences,
- utilization rates of research laboratories, equipment, and test facilities.
Qualitative Indicators
- expert evaluations of innovation ecosystems,
- industry feedback on training quality and research collaboration,
- case studies of successful prototypes and start-ups,
- stakeholder interviews assessing infrastructure relevance and impact.
This combination provides a robust, multidimensional picture of AAU’s performance in supporting sustainable innovation and industry development.
- Integration with Curriculum, Research, and Industry Systems
Assessment findings are systematically integrated into AAU’s academic and research planning. Outcomes inform:
- curriculum updates in engineering, ICT, medical technologies, and business innovation programs,
- enhancement of applied research laboratories and digital testing facilities,
- development of experiential learning programs tied to industry needs,
- entrepreneurship training and spin-off incubation pathways,
- industrial advisory boards guiding academic program relevance.
Insights from industry partnerships, research outcomes, and innovation assessments strengthen AAU’s capacity to produce graduates prepared for high-technology sectors and emerging industries.
- Transparency and Public Reporting
All results undergo validation by the Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC) and are published in:
- AAU Sustainability Report 2024–2025,
- Executive Sustainability Report – SDG9,
- AAU Sustainability & Innovation Portal,
- Annual Research and Innovation Summary,
ensuring full compliance with transparency standards and global SDG9 reporting frameworks.
- Development Actions
Action 1: National Industry & Innovation Survey
Annual survey measuring industry satisfaction with AAU research capabilities, innovation outputs, and workforce readiness. Target: ≥ 50 industrial partners surveyed annually.
Action 2: Innovation Competency Rubric
A university-wide rubric assessing innovation skills, research competencies, prototype development capacity, and problem-solving abilities. Target: Full institutional adoption by 2026.
Action 3: Research Commercialization Pipeline
A structured system connecting research projects to spin-offs, patents, and industrial applications through mentorship and funding. Target: 15 commercialization-ready projects per year by 2027.
Action 4: Digital Innovation & Industry Dashboard
A real-time dashboard tracking patents, prototypes, start-ups, industrial partnerships, research funding, and infrastructure utilization. Target: Fully operational by 2026.
Action 5: Regional & Global Benchmarking
Annual benchmarking against leading innovation-driven universities in the MENA region, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Target: Publish a comparative benchmarking report each year. - Benchmarking & Best Practice
AAU benchmarks its SDG9 practices against global innovation leaders, including:
- MIT (USA)
- MARA University of Technology – UiTM (Malaysia)
- University of Cambridge (UK)
- RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
Best Practices Adopted
- university–industry joint research laboratories,
- innovation-driven curriculum architecture,
- structured spin-off incubation and entrepreneurship mentoring,
- transparent technology-transfer systems,
- interdisciplinary research clusters and innovation hubs,
- public dashboards tracking research and innovation indicators.
Localization to Jordan’s Context
AAU adapts global best practices in alignment with:
- Jordan’s National Innovation Strategy,
- National Digital Transformation Plan,
- Higher Education Scientific Research Funding System,
- Industrial Partnership & Technology Transfer Framework,
- University Spin-Off Support Policy,
- Industrial & Commercial Research Funding Policy,
- Academic Resources Allocation Procedure.
Future Goal (by 2028)
Establish the AAU Innovation & Industrial Impact Observatory, dedicated to measuring national industrial engagement, research commercialization rate, technology transfer progress, innovation ecosystem maturity, and AAU’s overall contribution to sustainable industrial developmen
Institutional Integration SummaryAt AAU, SDG9 is deeply embedded in institutional planning through a structured, policy-driven ecosystem that integrates research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable industrial development. The Sustainability & International Ranking Center (SIRC) oversees evidence validation, reporting, and alignment with global frameworks, while faculties, research centers, and industry partners collaborate to advance applied research and industrial innovation.
Through strategic investments in research infrastructure, technology transfer systems, industrial partnerships, and entrepreneurship programs, AAU ensures that students, researchers, and external partners drive meaningful contributions to national economic growth, industrial modernization, and sustainable technological advancement.
AAU’s SDG9 framework reinforces synergy with SDG4 (Quality Education), SDG7 (Clean Energy), SDG8 (Decent Work), SDG12 (Responsible Consumption), SDG13 (Climate Action), and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals), establishing the University as a regional leader in sustainable innovation.
