Vatican commission to oversee Catholic university in Jordan

Amman, Jordan, Feb 2, 2015 / 16:55 pm

The Vatican Secretariat of State has established an ad hoc commission to oversee the American University of Madaba, a Catholic university in Jordan, to examine its financial stability, its governance, and its academics.

The commission "will work in full collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the promoter of the project and owner of the university, and will be reporting directly to the Secretary of State," read a Jan. 15 statement from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem "gladly accepted the initiative of the Secretariat of State," the release added.

The commission aims to "assure the optimum development of the university," the patriarchate said.

The university was established by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It opened in October 2011, intending to reach a capacity of 8,000 students. It follows an American style of higher education with four-year university instruction, and classes in English.

The university is located in Madaba, a city located 25 miles southwest of Amman and which is Patriarch Twal's hometown.

The ad hoc commission began its work in November 2014. It will oversee three aspect of the university: its financial stability, viability and probity; its governance and administrative structures; and its academic planning.

The commission will have full autonomy to accomplish its tasks, with respect to Jordanian law.

Agostino Borromeo, Governor General of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, was asked to form the commission and coordinate it.
 
Archbishop Giorgio Lingua, Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan and to Iraq, has been appointed head of the commission's Committee of Administration. The committee will monitor and coordinate the university's work until July 2015, when more permanent arrangements are intended to be set up.