Queen attends UJ ceremony to honour Prince Al Waleed

AMMAN — In a ceremony attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania on Tuesday, the University of Jordan (UJ) awarded Saudi Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal an honorary doctorate in international business.

Prince Al Waleed was granted this degree in recognition of his regional and international efforts in the fields of business, economic development, administration, tourism and media, according to a statement released by the Queen’s office.

During the ceremony, which was held on the university’s campus, the prince addressed attendees after receiving the degree from UJ President Ekhleif Tarawneh.

Prince Al Waleed expressed his gratitude to Her Majesty and the attendees for their hospitality and support. 

Thanking UJ for “this honour”, he said it proves that the university’s vision is in tune with that of his institutions, putting development before profit.

The prince also praised the Kingdom for the role it has been playing throughout the years in hosting refugees from war-torn neighbouring Arab countries. 

Despite Jordan’s scarce resources, it has welcomed suffering refugees with open arms, he said.

Moreover, the prince praised UJ for its academic accomplishments, which have put the university on the international map, noting that UJ’s achievements are a reflection of its continuous efforts to improve standards and bring in the latest technologies.

Tarawneh said the council of deans at UJ chose to honour Prince Al Waleed to acknowledge his leadership in entrepreneurship, business, investment and media. 

He added that the prince is a role model when it comes to pushing for cross-cultural dialogue between Muslims and other cultures to promote peace and understanding.

Several officials attended the ceremony, in addition to a number of regional diplomats and academics.

Later on Tuesday, Prince Al Waleed visited the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Mafraq, some 80km northeast of Amman, to get a first-hand look at the situation of Syrian refugees in Jordan.