The University of Jordan (UJ) hosted the 7th Middle East and Africa Regional Meeting of the International Astronomical Union (MEARIM 7) under the theme “Advancing Space and Astronomy Sciences for a Sustainable Future,” from 11-13 November 2025.
The conference, organized jointly by the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS), UJ, and the University of Sharjah, was held under the patronage of UJ President Prof. Nathir Obeidat and brought together distinguished astronomers, space scientists, researchers, academics, policymakers, and representatives from international space agencies.
In his opening remarks, Obeidat highlighted the deep connection between astronomy and human curiosity, describing space and astronomy sciences as a fusion of intellect and art. He reflected on humanity’s journey from the deserts of Arabia to modern observatories and cited the Qur’anic verse, “The sun is not allowed to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each floats in its own orbit.”
The conference featured 13 scientific sessions covering topics such as international cooperation in space research, artificial intelligence and big data analytics in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, planetary sciences, exoplanet discovery, climate sustainability, and space technology development. Specialized workshops on radio telescope data processing, Arabic-Islamic astronomical instruments, and astronomy education were also held.
Speakers included Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities; Dr. Awni Al-Khasawneh, AUASS Secretary-General; Prof. Hamid Al-Naimiy, AUASS President and Director of the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology; Prof. Diana Worrall, Secretary-General of the IAU; Dr. Taha Rabih, President of Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics; and Mohammed Al-Harmi from the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (UAE).
On the sidelines of MEARIM 7, UJ signed three international Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to expand academic and scientific cooperation in astronomy and space sciences.
The agreements include collaboration with the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute in Kazakhstan on observational and computational astrophysics, joint research, conferences, workshops, and exchange of scientific publications. UJ also partnered with Beihang University in China to advance scientific and technological cooperation through joint research, laboratory development, student and researcher exchanges, academic programs, and postgraduate scholarships. Additionally, the university signed an MoU with the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory in Armenia to collaborate on astrophysics research, joint publications, workshops, training programs, and exchange of PhD students and faculty members.
The MoUs were signed by UJ Vice President for Scientific Schools, Prof. Ashraf Abu Karaky, who emphasized that these agreements support the University’s strategy to expand its scientific reach and become a regional hub for space and astronomy sciences. Prof. Awni Al-Khasawneh described the MoUs as a tangible outcome of the conference’s success, while Prof. Mahmoud Jaghoub, Dean of the School of Science, highlighted their importance for advancing research opportunities for students and faculty.