A Ramadan fundraising Iftar was organized and held by the University of Jordan (UJ) Endowment and Development Initiative team on Tuesday, May 28th.
Attended by UJ's alumni and friends, the event aimed at increasing the University’s endowments, a new initiative intended to support the University as well as its teaching and research mission.
In his address during the event, UJ president Prof. Abdul Karim Al Qudah thanked the donors who participated in the event, pointing out that it is the first university Waqf (Endowment) in the Jordan.
He also explained that the relationship between the Waqf and educational institutions has long been rooted in the Arab-Islamic civilization, and stems from Islam's viewpoint towards science and scientists that call for the pursuit of science and knowledge.
"Waqf-run Schools, such as As-salihiya Madrasah, Al-Fathriya Madrasah, Mansooriyya Madrasah, and others, had a clear role in spreading knowledge in the Musilm world," Al Qudah said.
The president added that many well-reputed international universities have endowments that are allotted to support education programs and research.
He pointed out that the University has prepared an integrated development plan to enhance the University's overall performance, and achieve its target: a campus that is global, smart, attractive, productive, financially-stable, and culturally enlightening. Furthermore, he stressed that the aim of all of this is to move to a knowledge society; as knowledge is a major pillar of the progress of nations in various fields.
The event raised around JD1 million in money and in-kind donations, including computers, IT equipment, and other educational tools.
The overall purpose of the University’s Endowment campaign is to support the provision of education at the university, provide scholarships and interest-free loans to students, and establish investment companies, institutions and authorized entities that serve the interest of the endowment.
UJ Endowment (Waqf) has been established according to the Islamic Waqf Law, which in turn can be classified into many types depending on the nature of the Waqf such as Property Waqf, Corporate Waqf, and Cash Waqf.
To this end, the UJ Endowment was officially registered with a generous donation from the director of the Endowment office Marwan Al-Atoum with a value of JOD 2,000 and Prof. Raed Abu Mu'nis from the School of Shari'a with a value of JOD 1,000.