Oman- From time to time, the courtyards of some Jordanian universities transform from a space of science and knowledge into an arena of chaos and violence, in which sticks are raised and chants are raised.
The phenomenon of “university violence” has begun to disturb Jordanian society, and places higher education institutions facing a real challenge, after violence in Jordanian universities turned into a recurring scene that reveals a deep defect in the system of awareness, behavior, and social discipline.
A massive quarrel at the University of Jordan (video)
A mass quarrel broke out between a number of students inside the University of Jordan campus on Thursday evening, while university security intervened to try to break up the fights. Some participants in the altercation threw tear gas canisters, while there were no reports of any injuries.
The university referred… pic.twitter.com/8xir364MnI
– Firas Al-Massi | Firas Almasi
(@FAlmasee2) October 16, 2025
In a new incident, a few days ago, the University of Jordan in the capital, Amman, witnessed a massive quarrel between two groups of students, resulting in 7 injuries that were taken to the hospital, while the security services arrested 42 people as they were leaving the campus, according to a statement by the Public Security Directorate.
The quarrel at the University of Jordan began with an altercation between two students, before it expanded to include their friends and members of different clans, turning the university campus into an arena of confrontation, the fragments of which spread to the university’s surroundings and neighboring shops.
In a deterrent step, the Public Prosecution in Jordan decided to file heavy criminal charges against those involved in the mass brawl that took place at the University of Jordan. The Public Prosecution assigned 4 charges to 51 students and 4 juveniles.
The indictment included acts of violence and riots, illegal assembly, harm, and assault on public and private property, and the maximum penalty according to the law is 3 years in prison.
The University of Jordan incident is not an exception, but rather a link in a long series of quarrels that have been taking place at public and private Jordanian universities for years, until it has become – as observers describe it – “a dangerous social phenomenon that threatens the image of higher education in the Kingdom.”
A disturbing phenomenon
Students polled by Al Jazeera Net say that university punishments are “non-deterrent,” and that their application is often selective or subject to tribal pressure, which encourages the recurrence of violent behavior.
On the other hand, Ashraf Abu Karaki, Vice President of the University of Jordan for Academic College Affairs, confirms that the university deals with such incidents strictly, and that the student disciplinary system is applied according to violations, and the penalties may reach final dismissal from the university. He adds in his media statements that the university campus is equipped with surveillance cameras covering most areas, which makes it easier to identify those involved and hold them accountable.
Hussein Al-Khuzaie, professor of sociology at Al-Balqa Applied University, believes that the roots of university violence go back to “the social environment that nurtures narrow affiliations at the expense of national affiliation,” explaining – in his interview with Al-Jazeera Net – that some families do not direct their children towards the values of tolerance and dialogue, but rather promote fanaticism and showing off with power.
Al-Khuzaie called on “university administration to educate students about acceptable systems and behaviors from the first day of their admission, and for professors to assume their educational role alongside the academic, by introducing the concepts of dialogue and diversity into the educational process.”
Al-Khuzaie expressed his regret at the existence of student groups known for their regional or tribal affiliations, which reproduce the culture of “paralysis” within universities, and he believes that the solution can only be by tightening penalties and preventing social and parliamentary interference in their application, in addition to promoting a culture of openness and diversity among students, especially since Jordanian universities embrace more than 100 nationalities and generate income in the hundreds of millions of dinars annually, “and it is not permissible To tarnish her image with such behaviour.”
Absence of radical solutions
Al-Khuzaie says, “The reputation of universities is a capital that is no less important than infrastructure or curricula,” stressing the need to require any student transferring between universities to obtain a “certificate of good conduct” to ensure that violations are not repeated.
In turn, the coordinator of the “You Slaughtered Us” human rights campaign, Fakher Daas, warned of the continuation of the phenomenon if the solutions remain superficial and the reactions remain immediate. He told Al Jazeera Net that university violence is no longer just a “disagreement between students”, but rather reflects a defect in the structure of education and official policies towards young people.
He adds that restricting freedom of student action and marginalizing student unions and university clubs has emptied the campus of cultural and political activity that usually contributes to building a conscious and responsible personality. He points out, “Student union elections have turned into tribal and regional competitions instead of programmatic and intellectual competition, which has consolidated sub-identities on campus.”
Daas explained that the solution begins with reforming the university admission system to be more fair and balanced, so as not to enshrine regionalism or mediocrity, in addition to enabling students to express and participate freely in their issues, “because silencing voices leads to explosion at the first contact.”
Observers wonder how dozens of non-students entered the university campus during the quarrel, despite the presence of electronic gates and university security, which, according to them, reveals clear oversight gaps. They also pointed out that some university administrations sometimes retract decisions of expulsion or punishments after parliamentary or social pressure, which undermines the principle of justice and deterrence.
Specialists believe that addressing the phenomenon requires a comprehensive national plan involving the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministries of Interior and Education, and media and religious institutions, to establish a culture of tolerance and acceptance of others, in addition to integrating counseling and psychological guidance programs within universities.
Education reputation
For her part, Rana Al-Muhtaseb, a student at the University of Jordan, said, “University violence has become a problem that affects us all,” adding – in her interview with Al Jazeera Net – that we often hear about quarrels between students due to personal differences or tribal affiliations, and this makes the university campus an unsafe place for study and concentration.
Al-Mohtaseb believed that sanctions are often insufficient, and that the intervention of some external parties sometimes reduces the seriousness of their implementation. She expressed her belief that there should be awareness programs, and that the university administration should cooperate with students to promote a culture of dialogue and openness, because violence does not only harm the rioters, but also harms every student who dreams of a safe place to learn and grow.
Academic circles warn that the continuation of these incidents threatens the reputation of Jordanian universities, which are a major destination for Arab and foreign students, especially since scenes of violence are quickly transmitted through social media, and universities appear as an arena of conflict rather than an environment of science and knowledge.
The specialists agreed that the causes of university violence are concentrated in 3 main axes, the most prominent of which are:
- Student emptiness resulting from the lack of cultural and sporting activities.
- There is a gap in the relationship between professors and their students.
- Disagreements between party and clan groupings are particularly exacerbated during periods of student elections, leading to an escalation of conflicts on campus.
Analysts believe that what is happening in universities is not isolated from the general social climate in the country, but rather is a reflection of the culture of violence spreading in some societal circles, from media and political discourse to daily life. Just as the university is a mirror of society, society also feeds what is happening within it.
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