By: Prof. Dr. Iman Al-Basheti Vice President, Jadara University
The development of Jordan’s research ecosystem is no longer an academic option or an issue confined to universities. It has become a national imperative that reflects the country’s capacity to generate knowledge, translate it into evidence-based decision-making, support sustainable development, and strengthen its competitiveness in the knowledge economy.
While Jordanian universities have made significant progress in research productivity and scholarly publication, the most important question today is no longer: How many papers have we published? Rather, it is: What real impact has this research created for society, the economy, and public policy?
This requires a shift from a culture of “research for publication” to a culture of “research for impact.” The value of research should not end with publication in an academic journal; rather, publication should be the beginning of a process through which knowledge contributes to solving real-world challenges, informing evidence-based policies, improving services, and creating measurable societal and economic value.
Achieving this transformation requires stronger connections between universities, researchers, government institutions, the private sector, and productive industries. National challenges should be translated into clearly defined research priorities, around which applied research projects can be developed, funded, implemented, and evaluated.
In this context, Jordan would benefit from establishing a National Platform for Applied Research and Innovation that connects knowledge with need, researchers with decision-makers, and universities with industry. Such a platform could transform national challenges into research opportunities and research findings into practical solutions.
Equally important is the development of mechanisms to measure the impact of research. Research excellence should not be assessed solely through the number of publications or citation rates. It should also be evaluated through its economic, social, legislative, administrative, and developmental impact. Establishing a National Research Impact Observatory could therefore provide a systematic framework for monitoring how research findings are translated into policies, programs, innovations, and measurable improvements.
At the same time, research evaluation must recognize that impact takes different forms across disciplines. In applied sciences, impact may be reflected through technologies, patents, products, or industrial solutions. In the humanities and social sciences, impact may take the form of improved legislation, stronger public awareness, preservation of cultural identity, social development, or better public policies. A fair research evaluation system must therefore recognize and measure these diverse forms of impact.
Jordan possesses considerable academic and research talent capable of producing high-quality and internationally competitive knowledge. The real challenge, however, is to build an ecosystem that places this knowledge at the heart of national development and decision-making.
The future of research should not be measured only by how much we publish, but by how much of our knowledge we can transform into impact.
The goal, therefore, should be to build a Jordanian research ecosystem that does more than produce knowledge—one that connects knowledge to need, research to solutions, universities to society, and findings to impact.
From publication to impact… this is the next step in advancing research in Jordan.
Jadara University seeks to strengthen the role of scientific research as a tool for solving problems, supporting development, and informing decision-making — not merely an activity limited to academic publication. From this perspective, the university proposes establishing the Jadara Platform for Applied Research, Innovation & Impact within Jadara Research Center, to serve as an organized bridge between researchers and governmental, private, industrial, and societal entities.
The platform receives real-world challenges faced by institutions, transforms them into executable and measurable applied research projects, then follows up on the adoption of results and documents the achieved impact.
2. Vision & General Objective
Vision: For Jadara University to be a leading model in transforming knowledge and scientific research into practical solutions with economic, social, health, environmental, and administrative impact.
General Objective: Connecting university researchers' expertise with institutional needs, and transforming priority challenges into applied research projects with a clear mechanism for funding, execution, and impact measurement.
3. Operational Objectives
4. Institutional Position & Governance
The platform is established in its first phase as a specialized unit within Jadara Research Center, under the center's management and the university presidency's support. The experience will be evaluated after the first year in preparation for institutional expansion when needed.
5. Main Work Tracks
6. Applied Project Implementation Mechanism
From receiving the challenge to adoption and impact measurement.
01
Receiving the Challenge
The entity submits a form outlining the problem, its impact, available data, and its needs.
Result: A documented, researchable challenge.
02
Screening & Design
An initial meeting and scientific-practical assessment to determine the research feasibility of the challenge.
Result: A challenge document specifying outputs, duration, and funding.
03
Team Selection
An internal announcement or invitation for a specialized team to submit a solution proposal.
Result: A research team and an approved proposal.
04
Agreement & Execution
Signing an agreement that defines the scope, funding, confidentiality, and intellectual property.
Result: A project executed according to a timeline.
05
Application & Impact
Delivering the solution or recommendations and following up on their adoption by the beneficiary entity.
Result: Documented findings and an impact report.
7. Funding & Partnerships
The platform adopts a flexible funding model; a fixed rate is not required for all projects. The funding model is determined based on project size, entity capacity, and expected impact.
Full Partner Funding
For internal problems of companies, factories, or hospitals that directly benefit from the solution.
Shared Funding
For projects that achieve mutual benefit for both the university and the beneficiary entity.
Seed Funding from the University
For proof-of-concept experiments or high-priority community projects.
In-Kind Contribution
Providing data, testing sites, samples, equipment, or experts from the partner entity.
8. Impact Measurement Framework
Each project is required to define impact indicators from the start, with clear evidence documented after execution. Impact is classified as economic, health-related, social & educational, environmental, administrative, policy-based, or technical & innovative.
Research Output
A report, measurement tool, database, prototype, or recommendations.
Initial Benefit
Testing a solution or benefiting from training or a study by a specific entity.
Actual Application
Adopting a procedure, system, recommendation, or product by the beneficiary entity.
Measurable Impact
Cost reduction, time savings, service improvement, production increase, or improvement in a health or environmental indicator.
Sustainable Impact
Continuation of the solution or its extension to other branches or entities.
9. Launch Requirements & Database
A proposed digital structure for researchers, recommendations, and projects with a unified web page.
Researchers Database
Cataloging expertise, specializations, research interests, application areas, and a record of projects and recommendations.
Recommendations Database
Collecting published research recommendations from the past three years, classifying them, and linking them to relevant beneficiary entities.
Projects Database
Tracking challenges, research teams, agreements, execution phases, and impact evidence for each applied project.
Core Launch Requirements
- An official decision to approve the platform within Jadara Research Center and form a steering committee.
- Appointing an executive team and legal, financial, and media contact points.
- Preparing standardized forms: challenge form, project proposal form, research recommendations form, and impact monitoring form.
- Creating a platform web page and a database for researchers, recommendations, and projects.
- Preparing a standardized cooperation agreement that accounts for funding, confidentiality, and intellectual property.
Proposed Digital Forms
- Partner challenges intake form.
- Researcher and expertise registration form.
- Research recommendations submission form.
- Applied project proposal form.
- Impact monitoring and performance indicators form.
10. First-Year Implementation Plan
A practical roadmap from preparation to the annual report.
Month 1-2
Preparation & Approval
Decision, committee, policies & forms, and the web page.
Output: An approved operational framework.
Month 2-4
Building the Internal Base
Cataloging expertise, and collecting recommendations and impact from the past three years of research.
Output: A recommendations bank and an impact database.
Month 3-5
Pilot Launch
Contacting 10-15 entities, holding an introductory meeting, and receiving challenges.
Output: An initial list of challenges.
Month 5-6
Project Selection
Evaluating challenges, inviting researchers, selecting teams, and signing agreements.
Output: 3-5 approved projects.
Month 6-11
Execution & Follow-up
Executing projects, holding follow-up meetings, and collecting impact evidence.
Output: Initial solutions and findings.
Month 12
Evaluation & Reporting
Evaluating performance, issuing the annual report, and setting the expansion plan.
Output: An impact report and a second-year plan.
11. Proposed First-Year Performance Indicators
12. Required Decision
Approving the establishment of the platform, endorsing the forms, policies, and launch plan, forming the steering committee, and submitting a progress report on the first year's results.
Submitted By
Prof. Bilal Buteha
Jadara Research Center - Jadara University
Registration & Interest Form
This form is intended for researchers, partner entities, and project/challenge owners. It is designed as a practical starting point to build the web page and link it to a comprehensive database later.
For Researchers
Register expertise, specializations, research interests, and applicable recommendations.
For Partners & Entities
Submit challenges, describe the need, available data, and the expected impact of the solution.
For Projects
Propose an applied project, define the sector, execution duration, and the appropriate funding model.