The Higher Council for Science and Technology

What The Higher Council for Science and Technology does

The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST) is a Jordanian government institution established in 1987 under Law No. (30), serving as the national umbrella for all science and technology activities in the country. It is chaired by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal and operates from its headquarters within the Royal Scientific Society campus in Al-Jubaiha, Amman. The council manages a portfolio of eight affiliated centers and funds, including the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrine and Inherited Diseases (NCDID, 1996), the National Center for Human Resources Development (NCHRD, 1989), the National Center for Research and Development (NCRD, 2010), the National Center for Innovation (NCI, 2019), and the Industrial Scientific Research and Development Fund (IRDF, 1994), among others.

The institution's core functions include funding research through competitive proposal evaluation, coordinating Jordan's participation in international scientific cooperation frameworks (Horizon Europe, PRIMA, COST, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions), managing the National Database for Researchers (RESN) tracking over 9,052 registered researchers, and operating the Jordan Open Innovation Platform (JOIP) and the El Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence. It has received substantial international funding, including a €5 million EU grant for the SRTD II program (2017–2020, €8 million total with government co-funding), a €750,000 EU grant for a green building conversion using geothermal and solar technologies (2015), and $2.6 million from the EBRD Transition Fund for NCI.

HCST is funded through annual state budget allocations and international grants; no commercial revenue is generated. It serves four primary segments: Jordanian universities (30+ institutions), research centers, industrial enterprises (via IRDF), and small and medium enterprises (via NAFES). The council pursues international partnerships such as the Newton-Khalidi Fund with the UK Royal Academy of Engineering (2019) and the EU-funded FUTURE4PRIMA project (2024–2027), and is currently led by Secretary General Dr. Mashhoor Al-Refai following the 2026 MOU with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development to expand institutional integration.

Name

The Higher Council for Science and Technology

Legal name

The Higher Council for Science and Technology

Website

https://hcst.gov.jo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST) is a Jordanian government institution established in 1987 that serves as the national umbrella for science and technology policy, funding and coordinating research across Jordanian universities, research centers, industrial enterprises, and SMEs through affiliated centers, funds, and international partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Science and Technology Policy

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH)

Keywords

• Science and technology policy
• Research funding programs
• Innovation ecosystem support
• Industrial research grants
• SME development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Amman

HQ country

Jordan

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The council operates as a government institution funded by annual state budget allocations for research and development projects.
2. EU Grant Funding: European Union grants for specific projects including green building conversion (750,000 EUR) and various research initiatives.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST) is a Jordanian government institution that develops national science and technology policy, manages competitive research funding programs, and coordinates international scientific cooperation. It directs funds such as NAFES (for SMEs) and the Industrial Scientific Research and Development Fund, operates affiliated centers covering diabetes, human resources, R&D, innovation, and nanotechnology, and runs platforms like the National Database for Researchers (RESN) and the Jordan Open Innovation Platform (JOIP).

Product overview

The Higher Council for Science and Technology operates as a government umbrella organization managing a portfolio of interconnected platforms, funds, and programs. The core platforms include the National Database for Researchers (RESN) for tracking Jordanian researchers, and the Jordan Open Innovation Platform (JOIP) for coordinating innovation activities. The award programs include the El Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence. Financial support mechanisms comprise the National Fund for Enterprise Support (NAFES) for SMEs and the Industrial Scientific Research and Development Fund (IRDF). Technical projects include the EU-funded Green Building Project and SRTD II research development initiative. The National Center for Innovation provides supporting services in networking, policy, data, and monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• El Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence: Annual scientific excellence award established in 1995 to encourage educational, scientific, and technological activities in institutions concerned with education and training.
• Industrial Research Fund
• NAFES - National Fund for Enterprise Support
• JoSTA Network

Products and services

• National Database for Researchers (RESN) A national knowledge base platform that tracks researchers' qualifications, academic ranks, years of experience, research interests, scientific output, and research projects in Jordanian universities and scientific centers. Used by HCST for national S&T planning and policy.
• Jordan Open Innovation Platform (JOIP) An electronic services platform operated by the National Center for Innovation that directs all strategic activities of the NCI, facilitating stakeholder cooperation and economic development through innovation support.
• El Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence An annual award established in 1995 to encourage educational and scientific activities, supporting scientific movement and recognizing excellence in three categories: general education, higher education, and technical/vocational education institutions.
• National Fund for Enterprise Support (NAFES) A fund established in 2001 to assist small and medium enterprises in Jordan improve their management capabilities and increase competitiveness locally and globally through financial support and development assistance.
• Industrial Scientific Research and Development Fund (IRDF) A fund created in 1994 to support Jordanian industries in leveraging science and technology to improve competitive capabilities, bridging the gap between research institutions and industry.
• Green Building Project A project to convert HCST's building into an environmental/green building using renewable energy technologies including geothermal heating/cooling (Ground Source Heat Pump technology at 100 meters depth) and 52 kW solar power generation, funded by the European Union.
• Support to Research, Technological Development and Innovation in Jordan Project (SRTD II) A European Union-funded project aimed at increasing the contribution of research, technological development and innovation sectors to Jordan's economic growth, focusing on water, energy, food, and health research priorities. Total budget of 8 million EUR over three years across 62 funded research projects.
• National Center for Innovation (NCI) Services A portfolio of innovation support services including networking and referral, policy development and legal consultations, information and data services, and monitoring and evaluation, provided through the National Center for Innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Funded 62 research projects under SRTD II with 25,000 EUR each
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• National Center for Research and DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026Affiliated center specializing in nanotechnology, energy, biotechnology, and desert research. Founded 2010.
• FUTURE4PRIMAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EU-funded project (2024-2027) to strengthen R&I in Mediterranean region, support PRIMA partnerships, and coordinate work group on cross-border program implementation.
• Royal Academy of Engineering (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership under Newton-Khalidi Fund for Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) program. Provides training in UK for Jordanian innovators and entrepreneurs on technology commercialization, with 14 participants selected annually for two-week intensive programs.
• British Embassy JordancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-chairs Newton-Khalidi Fund steering committee. Supports innovation and entrepreneurship programs through joint funding and diplomatic coordination.
• European Union (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2015EU provides grants for research and innovation projects including SRTD II, green building conversion (REEED program with 750,000 EUR), and PRIMA Mediterranean research partnership. Multiple cooperative frameworks support Jordanian participation in Horizon Europe, COST, and other EU research programs.
• PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCST serves as national funding body and contact point for Jordan. 20-country Mediterranean partnership focuses on sustainable water, agriculture, and food systems research with 500 million EUR budget over 10 years.
• Horizon Europe / Marie Skłodowska-Curie ActionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCST coordinates Jordanian participation as national contact point. EU's main research and innovation funding framework enabling international scientific cooperation.
• Energy Research Center - Royal Scientific SocietycoreTechnology or IntegrationAssigned as project engineer for green building project, responsible for supervising implementation and conducting engineering studies for design elements, energy consumption analysis, and comfort measurements.
• COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCST serves as national coordinator enabling Jordanian researchers to join international scientific networks, workshops, conferences, and training visits.
• PRIMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJordan joined PRIMA in 2017 with HCST authorized to sign agreement. In 2018-2019, 10 Jordanian research projects received PRIMA support totaling approximately 1 million EUR.
• King Abdullah II Fund for DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU signed in April 2026 to strengthen institutional integration and support research ecosystem development.
• Al-Balqa Applied UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU for cooperation in scientific and academic research, particularly in desert studies area.
• Jordan University of Science and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in U-SOLVE project promoting entrepreneurship aligned with SDGs, particularly for youth. Jointly opens calls for sustainable urban development sub-grants.
• Jordanian Universities NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 30+ Jordanian universities participating in research calls, technology transfer programs, and innovation initiatives coordinated by HCST.
• ASEZA (Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of First International Conference on The Red Sea Ecosphere 2022 for marine environment conservation and management.
• Jordanian Scientists and Technologists Abroad (JoSTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork connecting Jordanian scientists and technologists abroad to contribute to national R&D objectives.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF): QNRF is a regional research funding body that channels national resources into R&D grants and talent programs. It is comparable to HCST's Industrial Research Support Fund and NAFES functions, particularly in supporting industry-academia collaboration and researcher development.
• Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK): TÜBİTAK is Turkey's national S&T policy council that funds research, manages affiliated institutes, and coordinates international scientific cooperation. It is a close regional analog to HCST in mandate and structure, operating at a larger scale in a neighboring country.
• King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST): KACST is Saudi Arabia's national S&T body that funds research, operates specialized centers, and coordinates international partnerships. Comparable to HCST as a Gulf-region S&T council with strong government backing and diversified research centers.
• Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS): KFAS is a Gulf-state science promotion and funding foundation that supports research, awards, and science outreach. Comparable to HCST in its national mandate to advance S&T, recognize scientific excellence, and administer research grants.
• Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), Egypt: ASRT is Egypt's national body coordinating scientific research and innovation policy. Comparable to HCST as a regional Arab S&T council that sets research priorities, manages affiliated research networks, and represents the country in international scientific fora.

Broad incumbents

• German Research Foundation (DFG): DFG is Germany's central research funding organization supporting universities and research institutes across all scientific disciplines. Comparable to HCST in funding research projects and promoting scientific excellence, but operating within a much larger research ecosystem.
• U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF): NSF is the U.S. federal agency that funds non-medical research, manages researcher databases, and coordinates with international partners. Comparable to HCST in its role as a national research funder and policy coordinator, but operating at vastly greater scale.
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): UKRI is the UK's national research and innovation funding body, coordinating multiple research councils and international partnerships. Comparable to HCST in its umbrella function over research funding and international cooperation, though at much greater scale and scope.
• French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS): CNRS is France's largest public research organization, coordinating laboratories and international cooperation across disciplines. Comparable to HCST in operating a network of specialized research centers and representing national interests in international scientific cooperation.
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS): JSPS is Japan's national funding body for academic research and international scientific exchange. Comparable to HCST in funding researchers and administering fellowship programs, with NAFES having been co-financed by a Japanese government grant historically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ncijordan
• Facebookfacebook.com/ncijordan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncijordan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about The Higher Council for Science and Technology