Biography:

Professor Hamdan received the B.Sc. in Mathematics (with honours) from Cairo University in 1957, and the Ph.D. in Mathematical Statistics from Sydney University in 1963. He was appointed Senator at the Upper House of Parliament in Jordan in December 2007 by a Rroyal Decreee. He served as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Jordan for three terms, and as Secretary General of The Higher Council for Science and Technology from September 1998 - July 1999. He joined the Arab Open Univeristy as Rector and Founding Member from 1999 ? 2001 and as Senior Advisor from October 2001 - August 2002. He had to leave the University to serve as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research from September 2002 - November 2003, but immediately after his term ended, he was re-appointed Senior Advisor of the Arab Open University; a post which he still holds at present. Besides the Arab Open Univeristy, Professor Hamdan was President and Founding Member of two public universities in Jordan: the Yarmouk University and the Hashemite University. Earlier in his career, he held several posts at the University of Jordan including Professor of Mathematics, Dean of Faculty of Science, Dean of Scientific Research and Dean of Student Affairs. At the academic level outside Jordan, Professor Hamdan served as Faculty Member (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor) at the American University of Beirut/Beirut (1965 ? 1976), and as Visiting Professor of Mathematics at the American University of Cairo/Egypt, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University/USA, and Riyadh University/Saudi Arabia. In addition to his teaching, research and administative actitivites at several universities, Professor Hamdan was Chairperson of Jordan's National Commission for UNESCO (1989-1991, 1998); Head of Jordan's Delegation to World Conference on Education for All, Jom-tein (1990); Chairperson of Commission III, 29th Session of UNESCO General Conference (1997) (in which the Commission adopted the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights); Vice Chairperson of UNESCO's International Bioethics Committee (4-year term from 1998 ? 2001); Member of UNESCO?s International Bioethics Committee (4?year term from 2002-2005); Chairman of Jordan?s National Committee on the Ethics of Science and Technology (2003 ? 2006); Member of AGFUND's Delegation to World Education Forum/Education for all-2000 Assessment, Dakar 2000. In terms of academic research, Professor Hamdan is Member of the Editorial Board of several research journals. He supervised several Ph.D. dissertations and M.Sc. theses throughout his career, and was keynote speaker in numerous scientific conferences; and national and international consultations in the areas of Mathematics, Mathematical Statistics, Education and Higher Education. This includes participation in several sessions of UNESCO General Conference as Head or Member of Jordan's Delegation (1986-2000), and participation in several regional and international UNESCO conferences, seminars or workshops on Higher Education and on scientific research (including UNESCO's Paris Conference in 1998 and UNESCO's Budapest Conference in 1999). He published numeours papers in the area of Mathematical Statistics.

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