Today, Dr. Nathir Obeidat, President of the University of Jordan, inaugurated the 10th International Conference on Business and Technology (ICBT). The conference is organized by School of Business at the University of Jordan in collaboration with the Euro-Mediterranean Academy of Business and Technology in Turkey and the University of Bahrain. The event was attended by Senator Suhair Al-Ali, the head of the Financial and Economic Committee in the Jordanian Senate.
In his opening speech, Dr. Obeidat stated, "The holding of this conference at the campus of the Lady of Universities serves as an inspiring and creative factor for fruitful and beautiful interaction between academia, industry, and technology experts and its new pioneers." He added that it is an opportunity to generate and shape ideas to serve as a foundation for innovation, creativity, and driving positive change in the world of business and finance, as well as an important chance to establish partnerships.
Dr. Obeidat called on academics within university walls and industry leaders in their factories and offices to work together to prepare university students and teach them the arts of practical thinking. He emphasized the importance of building partnerships between business owners, researchers, and academics. He pointed out that change, adaptation, creative thinking, and disciplined risk-taking have become the keys to growth, development, and productivity. Furthermore, he highlighted that technology, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence are the main drivers of change, increased productivity, and societal transformation.
The founding president and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullah bin Yusuf Al-Hawaj, expressed his happiness with the collaboration between the three academic institutions, with the University of Jordan at the forefront. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of investing in education and fostering cooperation between Arab countries in this field to enable them to reach the ranks of global nations and become active in the realm of civilization. He also mentioned that the University of Bahrain was the first private university established under the Bahrain National Action Charter and is ranked tenth in education quality according to the Times Higher Education ranking.
For his part, the Dean of School of Business at the University of Bahrain and Vice President of the conference, Dr. Alam Hamdan, provided an overview of the school, which was established in 2003, its standing in various rankings, and its accreditation by AACSB. He expressed his hope that this conference would mark the beginning of building bridges of collaboration in scientific research and academic exchange.
Dr. Baha Al-Arini, the President of the Euro-Mediterranean Academy of Business and Technology and Vice President of the conference, stated that the choice of the University of Jordan to host this conference was due to its rich history, academic standing, excellence, and its academic achievements and research contributions across various fields. He pointed out that the conference presents an opportunity to work together towards an innovative and sustainable future, as the conference title and its topics reflect the importance and interconnection of the business and technology sectors.
In his speech, Dr. Ra'ed Masa'deh Bani Yaseen, the Dean of School of Business at the University of Jordan, stated that the school strives for the highest levels of excellence in preparing specialized professionals in the fields of finance, business, and information systems. He highlighted that the school is the first among public universities to achieve accreditation from the International Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for all of its programs. Additionally, the school ranks highly in the QS World University Rankings, with the accounting, finance, and business management programs achieving excellent results, ranking within the 251-300 global range. Furthermore, the economics program entered the rankings for the first time, while the university ranked fifth in business administration in the Arab world. In the field of information systems, the Information Systems program was ranked in the 100-150 category globally.
Dr. Bani Yaseen expressed his pride in this collaboration, pointing out that the conference includes several panel discussions and scientific sessions, continuing for two days both in-person and virtually. The conference will feature 340 research papers and 25 keynote speakers, representing prominent figures from government ministries, the private sector, decision-making centers, university presidents, and distinguished editors of scientific journals. These experts will share their knowledge on important topics in the fields of finance, business, and scientific research.
The conference will discuss a variety of tracks, such as the applications of artificial intelligence in business and industry; technology and digital transformation; sustainable entrepreneurship and technology; contemporary issues in management, education, and accounting; women and technology studies; technology and environmental sustainability; the application of technology, emotional intelligence, and performance; digital transformation and financial innovation; as well as entrepreneurship and gender studies.