University Employees [Statistics] (9.4)

Total number of employees at the university for benchmarking industry collaboration impact. 

Introduction: 

The total number of employees at Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) represents a fundamental institutional indicator for benchmarking the University’s capacity to support research, innovation, and industry collaboration. A strong and diverse workforce enables the University to effectively implement applied research projects, operate advanced laboratories, maintain industrial partnerships, manage innovation centers, and deliver specialized training programs essential to SDG 9. 

AAU’s organizational structure includes academic faculty, research staff, technical laboratory teams, administrative personnel, innovation specialists, and industry liaison officers. Together, they form an integrated workforce that drives sustainable industrial development, technology transfer, and collaborative innovation with national and international partners. 

Tracking employee numbers annually supports AAU in evaluating: 

• institutional readiness for large-scale research initiatives, 

• human-resource capacity available for industry-funded projects, 

• the scalability of innovation and technology-transfer activities, 

• the ability to support growing industrial partnerships, 

• benchmarking AAU’s position against regional and global universities. 

This workforce indicator plays a strategic role in understanding AAU’s institutional capability to deliver SDG9 commitments. 

Employee Classification Framework 

To align with THE Impact methodology, employees are classified into the following categories: 

1.  Academic Staff
   
   • Professors, associate professors, assistant professors 
   • Lecturers, instructors, clinical trainers 
   • Supervisors of applied research and industrial projects 
   • Faculty engaged in engineering, ICT, health sciences, business innovation, and scientific research 
   
   
2. Research Staff
   
   • Research assistants 
   • Laboratory researchers 
   • Postgraduate research fellows 
   • Technology-transfer and innovation officers 
   • Staff dedicated to industry-funded research initiatives 
   
   
3. Technical & Laboratory Staff
   
   • Technicians 
   • Lab supervisors 
   • Engineering workshop teams 
   • Simulation and digital systems specialists 
   • Staff operating EV labs, AI labs, fabrication labs, and test facilities 
   
   
4. Administrative & Support Employees
   
   • HR & institutional development staff 
   • Finance and procurement teams supporting research budgeting 
   • Industry relations and partnership coordinators 
   • SIRC staff responsible for sustainability reporting 
   • Administrative personnel supporting operations and logistics 
   
   

Impact Evaluation & Development Plan 

1. Performance Evaluation
   

   Employee capacity directly influences AAU’s ability to: 

   • expand applied research output, 
   • manage industry partnerships effectively, 
   • operate technologically advanced laboratories, 
   • support spin-off incubation and research commercialization, 
   • deliver specialized technical training for industry, 
   • contribute to national innovation initiatives. 

   A larger, more skilled workforce enhances AAU’s role as a regional hub for industrial innovation and sustainable infrastructure development. 

   
   
2. Development Actions
   

   Action 1 – Strengthen Research & Innovation Staffing 

   Recruit additional research assistants and innovation officers. Target: +20% research staff by 2027. 

   Action 2 – Expand Technical Laboratory Teams 

   Hire specialized technicians for EV labs, AI labs, biomedical labs, and fabrication units. Target: Staffing expansion aligned with new labs by 2026. 

   Action 3 – Industry Liaison Unit Development 

   Create a dedicated Industry Collaboration Office to support partnerships. Target: Unit fully operational by 2025–2026. 

   Action 4 – Workforce Skills Upgrading Program 

   Training in industrial technologies, innovation management, and digital transformation. Target: 100% technical staff trained annually. 

   Action 5 – International Talent Exchange 

   Attract visiting researchers and expert engineers from partner institutions (e.g., UiTM Malaysia, Global Academy for Digital Health & AI). Target: 10 experts annually by 2028. 

   
   

Institutional Integration Summary 

AAU’s workforce represents a core foundation for delivering SDG9 outcomes. 
Through academic excellence, strong research staffing, advanced technical capacity, and efficient administrative support, the University ensures: 

• effective execution of industry-funded research, 

• continuous expansion of innovation activities, 

• sustainable development of research infrastructure, 

• strong partnerships with national and international industries. 

This integrated workforce approach strengthens AAU’s leadership in Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure while supporting cross-cutting SDGs including SDG4, SDG7, SDG8, SDG12, SDG13, and SDG17.