Amman, Aug. 17 (Petra) — The Senate Education and Higher Education
Committee on Monday passed the 2026 Accreditation and Quality
Assurance Commission (AQAC) Bill as referred from the Lower House.

The committee, chaired by Senator Wajih Owais, discussed the bill
with AQAC President Dhafer Sarayreh, focusing on its justifications
and objectives.

According to the bill’s explanatory reasons, the legislation seeks to
promote a culture of quality and strengthen quality practices in
educational institutions, foreign educational institutions,
vocational and technical training institutions, Jordanian higher
education institutions and foreign higher education institutions
operating in the Kingdom.

It also aims to encourage foreign educational and higher education
institutions operating in Jordan and vocational and technical
training institutions to engage with their international counterparts
and international accreditation and quality assurance bodies, while
strengthening their ability to sustain excellence, address challenges
and enhance competitiveness locally and internationally.

The bill also seeks to align learning outcomes with labor market
needs in coordination with sector skills councils and in partnership
with the private sector.

It provides for capacity-building among employees of educational,
vocational and technical training, and higher education institutions
in coordination and cooperation with those institutions to improve
efficiency and strengthen quality practices.

Under the bill, the AQAC would be responsible for accrediting
educational institutions, foreign educational institutions, Jordanian
higher education institutions and foreign higher education
institutions operating in the Kingdom, ensuring their quality,
accrediting and monitoring their programs, and overseeing their
performance.

The AQAC would also accredit and ensure the quality of vocational and
technical training programs in all forms, accredit and classify
trainers, monitor the quality of training outcomes and oversee them.

It would also recognize non-Jordanian educational, vocational and
technical training, and higher education institutions and equate
certificates and qualifications issued by them.

//Petra// NQ