The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering and Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), located in Irbid, Jordan have launched a joint Ph.D. program in structural engineering, expanding an international academic partnership designed to strengthen doctoral education, research collaboration and faculty engagement.
The new program creates additional opportunities for graduate students to benefit from the academic and research strengths of both institutions while deepening collaboration in structural engineering. It follows the launch of a joint Ph.D. program in computer engineering between Nebraska and the University of Jordan in September 2025.
Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Donald R. Voelte Jr. and Nancy A. Keegan Chair of Engineering and professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said the program will help Nebraska Engineering broaden its international reach while supporting research growth.
“The initial focus of the program is in structural engineering, but we hope in the future that it can expand to other areas of civil engineering as well,” Bartelt-Hunt said. “It will allow us to recruit additional students into the program and expand our research collaborations and other possibilities.”
While the program is focused on doctoral education, Bartelt-Hunt said its impact could extend to undergraduate students.
“This program will not initially directly impact our undergraduate students, but having more international graduate students who may serve as teaching assistants will definitely provide our undergraduate students with a better global perspective,” she explained.
The agreement establishes a framework for long-term collaboration in research, graduate education and faculty engagement. It opens the door to joint research projects, co-advising of graduate students, faculty exchanges, collaborative proposals and shared publications.
Quasi Alomari, a research assistant professor in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from JUST and later served as a lecturer there and emphasized similarities between the two programs.
“The civil engineering programs at JUST and UNL are highly comparable,” Alomari said. “Both are ABET accredited, and the curricula are built around U.S. engineering standards.”
Courses at JUST are taught in English, and most faculty members in the structural engineering area earned their graduate degrees from universities in the United States. Those shared academic foundations, Alomari said, will help students transition smoothly between institutions and contribute quickly to research efforts.
Fadi Alsaleem, James S. and Virginia A. Blackman Associate Professor in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, played a key role in developing the partnership and said the joint program will allow students to focus more quickly on research once they arrive at UNL.
“This is truly a win-win,” added Alsaleem. “Students from Jordan will come to UNL after completing most of their technical coursework at JUST, allowing them to focus almost entirely on research. Without a joint Ph.D. program, much of their time would be spent taking additional classes to meet degree requirements. This program enables students to contribute to research much sooner, making our efforts more productive while strengthening the College of Engineering’s international research collaborations.”
Alsaleem said the collaboration also recognizes the quality of engineering education at JUST while connecting students to Nebraska’s research environment and industry-affiliated programs.
“Universities such as JUST have outstanding educational programs and often match or exceed international standards in teaching,” Alsaleem said. “This partnership complements those strengths by providing students with access to UNL’s research environment, which is closely connected to industry and real-world challenges. The collaboration will help build research capacity, foster innovation and strengthen research and development in Jordan and the broader Middle East.”
