# Fawzi Gharaibeh

Fawzi AbdulRahim Ahmad al-Gharaibeh (1943 in Huwwarah, Irbid – ) is a Jordanian academic. He has been involved in education and business administration. He held positions in academia and government.
He served as President of the University of Jordan from 1991 to 1998 and as Jordan's Minister of Education from 1998 to 1999. He also founded and chaired Al-Sharqiyah University in Oman from 2009 to 2014. He was involved in the establishment of the University of Petra.
Gharaibeh earned a PhD in the 1970s. He also obtained an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and Texas Tech University. He completed his bachelor's degree with honors from Cairo University in 1965.
Additionally, Gharaibeh holds memberships in various organizations, including the Royal Scientific Society and the executive board of UNESCO. He serves on the Budget and Finance Committee at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and is a member of the Executive Council of the International Association of Universities.

## Personal life

Fawzi Al-Gharaibeh was born in 1943 in Huwwarah, Irbid, Jordan, into a family of modest means. He was the eldest among his seven sisters and one brother. His father, Abd al-Rahim al-Gharaibeh, took on trading as a means of livelihood and, along with his brother, played a key role in establishing the first industrial carpentry in Irbid during the early 1940s, importing machinery from Haifa.
Educationally, after completing his schooling at Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib School and Irbid Secondary School, Fawzi pursued higher studies. He earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree with honors from Cairo University in 1965. He then continued his academic journey, obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Texas Tech University in the United States, followed by a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin in 1972.
During his time at the University of Jordan, Fawzi Al-Gharaibeh married one of his students, and together they have three children: two daughters and a son named Ahmed. He is proficient in three languages: Arabic, English, and French. Al-Gharaibeh prefers not to be labeled as a liberal, instead advocating for a worldview characterized by adaptability and the dynamic evolution of ideas, rather than rigid ideologies.

## Life and career

Fawzi al-Gharaibeh's career spanned academic and administrative positions, starting as an assistant professor and eventually becoming president of the University of Jordan. He held roles such as department head and assistant dean along the way.
al-Gharaibeh's commitment to academia was evident in his promotions, rising to full professorship in 1981 and later becoming the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. His administrative skills were recognized, leading to his appointment as Vice President for Administrative Affairs before ultimately becoming president.
In addition to his university roles, al-Gharaibeh impacted education policy as Minister of Education from 1998 to 1999. He also had international influence through his scholarly work in Arabic and English and his visiting professorships at American universities.
Al-Gharaibeh's involvement in professional networks and publications reflects his engagement in academic discourse and contribution to the global academic community.

### Positions

Throughout his career, Gharaibeh held many key roles in academia and government:
* 1983 - 1986: Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Jordan.
* 1986 - 1991: Chairman of the Foreign Diploma Equivalency Committee, Jordan.
* 1986 - 1990: Vice President of the University of Jordan.
* 1991 - 1993: Chairman of the Higher Education Council, Jordan.
* 1991 - 1994: President of the Jordanian Association of Graduates of American Universities and Institutes.
* 1991 - 1998: President of the University of Jordan.
* 1995 - 1998: Vice President of the Higher Education Council, Jordan.
* 1998 - 1999: Minister of Education, Jordan.
* 1999 - 2000: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jordanian Phosphate Mines Company, Jordan.
* 2009 - 2014: Founder and President of Al-Sharqiyah University, Oman.
* 2012 - 2013: Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jordan University of Science and Technology.

### Memberships

* 1985 - 1992: Advisory Committee, College of Management and Economics, Qatar University.
* 1989 - 1990: National Committee for Drafting the National Charter, Jordan.
* 1989 - 1991: Board of Directors, University of Petra, Jordan.
* 1991 - 2009: American Accounting Association Membership, USA.
* 1991 - 1994: Economic Advisory Council, Jordanian Government.
* 1991 - 2004: Higher Education Council Membership, Jordan.
* 1991 - 2009: Jordanian-American Committee for Cultural Exchange (Fulbright Commission) Membership.
* 1994 - 1998: Executive Council, International Association of Universities, Paris, France.
* 1995 - 1998: Jordan Institute of Diplomacy Membership, Jordan.
* 2001 - 2005: Executive Board, UNESCO, Paris, France.
* 2001 - 2009: Council of the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan Membership.
* 2003 - Present: Budget and Finance Committee, International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands.
* 2003 - Present: Board of Trustees, King Hussein Foundation, Jordan.
* 2003 - 2006: Supreme Committee for the Accounting Profession Membership.
* 2003 - 2006: Board of Trustees, University of Science and Technology, Jordan.
* 2003 - Present: Royal Scientific Society Membership.
* 2006 - 2009: Advisory Board, Graduate School of Business Administration, German Jordanian University, Jordan.
* 2006 - 2009: Board of Trustees, Al-Balqaʼ Applied University, Jordan.