UCL partners with the Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund on major healthcare project in Jordan

The project will see the establishment of a university hospital in Amman with at least 300 beds, 60 outpatient clinics, an ambulatory care building and a medical school with capacity for 600 students, with a projected annual intake of 100 students. The project is expected to create over 5,000 jobs in Jordan and encourage a new generation of doctors, researchers and future leaders in medicine.

A key aim of the project will be to attract global expertise on healthcare education to Jordan, helping to improve its healthcare sector, strengthen its model of accountable care, provide high-quality healthcare services and boost Jordan’s offer for medical tourism. 

UCLMS is the academic partner on the project, providing education and research advice in medicine and health. Up to 7.5% of the project’s revenue will be dedicated to research and development in Jordan. UCLA Health is the clinical partner on the project.

As part of the agreement, a senior research leader from UCL’s Medical School will lead a team to support SJIF to develop a high-level research strategy that outlines its vision, strategic goals and research focus in the short, medium and longer terms. The strategy will provide a basis for research activity at the new medical school and inform decisions about staffing, buildings and the MD programme.

UCL academic lead Dr Ahmed Rashid (UCL Medical Sciences Vice-Dean, International) said: “The goal of this project is to co-design a new undergraduate medicine programme that will draw on the extensive experience of medical science and clinical training at UCL and the local academic traditions and health priorities in Jordan. We have been working with the SJIF team in the early phases of this work and are delighted to have finalised an agreement with them to continue this exciting work over the next ten years.”

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