لاتحاد الجامعات العربية

Overview

The Association of Arab Universities (AArU) — sometimes called the Union of Arab Universities — is a non‑governmental, legally independent consortium hosted within the framework of the Arab League and headquartered in Amman, Jordan. It was established in 1964 and brings together universities across the Arab region in coordination and peer collaboration. Its core purpose is to support institutional networking, promote educational quality and foster development of higher education in Arabic‑speaking countries.

1. Historical and Legal Framework

The AArU was formally established in 1964 following a resolution of the Education Ministers of the Arab League, with a provisional secretariat first located in Cairo. In 1969 it adopted a permanent Secretariat‑General and in 1984 the organization relocated its headquarters to Amman, the capital of Jordan . It functions as an independent legal association recognized by the League, entered in Jordan's official registry as a non‑profit body with diplomatic status .

2. Mission, Vision and Objectives

Mission: To assist and coordinate efforts among Arab universities in order to prepare graduates who can serve their communities, preserve shared Arab culture and contribute to national development .

Vision: A region of higher education institutions united in purpose, advancing quality and innovation and contributing to sustainable development through research, academic exchange and capacity building.

Objectives:

• Foster academic cooperation and peer learning among member institutions.
• Promote quality assurance and accreditation frameworks tailored to the Arab context.
• Support joint research and knowledge diffusion for social and economic development.
• Strengthen administrative and technical capacities of universities through training and events.
• Encourage the use of Arabic in academic discourse and the preservation of educational heritage.

3. Governance, Structure and Independence

The supreme governing body is the General Conference of university presidents, which meets periodically (e.g. 57th session in Kuwait in 2025) . Between conferences, an Executive Council and the Secretariat‑General manage the Association’s affairs. The Secretary‑General, currently Prof. Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama, is the chief executive overseer responsible for day‑to‑day operations and external representation . AArU is independent of any governmental ministry; its autonomy is protected by statute and its organizational bylaws.

4. Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role in Higher Education

Although AArU does not grant national accreditation directly, it plays a pivotal role through its Quality Assurance and Accreditation Board. This entity develops guidelines and standards for programmatic and institutional evaluation, provides external review services and issues quality‑assurance certificates valid for five years to member institutions that meet criteria across multiple domains (curriculum, faculty, students, facilities, research, etc.) . The Board has published several companion guides (e.g. Self‑Evaluation, Quantitative/Qualitative Indicators) to support member universities in internal and external assessment processes.

5. International Cooperation and Network Memberships

AArU is an active partner in regional and global networks. It co‑founded the Arab University Rankings (2023 edition) in partnership with the Arab League, ALECSO and FASRC to assess academic and research performance across the Arab world . The Association has formal cooperation agreements with international bodies such as AACSB, promoting business education quality and competitiveness in the region . AArU has also contributed to the establishment of Anqahe, the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, facilitating capacity‑building for national QA agencies . It maintains consultative and member status in global associations including UNAI, EURASHE, UNIMED and the International Association of Universities (IAU) .

6. Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

The Association influences the higher education landscape in several ways:

• Standardisation and quality assurance: Its QA Board provides criteria and certification that influence Arab national QA reforms and institutional accreditation.
• Ranking and benchmarking: The Arab University Rankings raise awareness around metrics of performance and international comparability.
• Leadership development: Programs like ARELEN help train current and future university leaders in strategic governance and change management .
• Research cooperation: Joint initiatives in fields ranging from innovation to sustainability encourage cross-border academic partnerships.
• Language and cultural integration: AArU promotes the use of Arabic in academia and the preservation of regionally relevant pedagogy and scholarship.

7. Summary

The Association of Arab Universities is a cornerstone institution uniting Arabic‑language universities under a shared vision of quality, cooperation and cultural stewardship. It emerged in 1964 under the auspices of the Arab League and now includes more than 280 member universities across 22 countries (Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc.) . According to uniRank research, AArU supports around 280 autonomous institutions in advancing unified standards of higher education. Its activities in quality assurance, rankings, leadership training and regional advocacy continue to shape the future of academic excellence across the Arab nations.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Association of Arab Universities?
  AArU is a voluntary, non‑governmental network of Arab universities, operating within the Arab League framework to foster collaboration, quality assurance and development in higher education.
• When and where was it established?
  It was founded in 1964 via an Arab League resolution, initially based in Cairo, with headquarters since 1984 in Amman, Jordan.
• How many universities are members?
  Membership includes approximately 280 to 350 public and private institutions across 22 Arab League countries.
• Does AArU accredit universities?
  Not directly. It facilitates quality assessment through its Quality Assurance and Accreditation Board, which issues certificates based on peer evaluation aligned with its standards.
• What is the Arab University Rankings?
  A regional ranking system co-developed by AArU with the Arab League, ALECSO and FASRC that evaluates universities on education, research, innovation and community service metrics.
• How is the Association governed?
  Governance rests with a General Conference of members; daily operations are managed by an Executive Council and the Secretariat‑General led by a Secretary‑General.
• Can a university join AArU?
  Eligibility is generally limited to universities from Arab League member states that use Arabic as an official language of instruction. New members are approved by the General Conference.

Organization Name

لاتحاد الجامعات العربية

Association of Arab Universities

Acronym

AArU

Year of Establishment

1964

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

International

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

over 280

Address

PO Box 401
Amman
11941 Amman Jordan

Phone

+962 (6) 506 2048

Fax

+962 (6) 506 2051

n.a.

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

Association of Arab Universities's Facebook page

X (Twitter)

Not available

LinkedIn

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YouTube

Association of Arab Universities's YouTube channel

Instagram

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Wikipedia Article

Association of Arab Universities's Wikipedia article

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