• International Petra School of Physics

    was founded in 1980/1981 by his Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal

    and the late Professor Abdus Salam (founder of ICTP)

    the School will hold its 11th Edition (PSP11) during the week

    14-17 October 2025

    The University of Jordan- Yarmouk University

    The University of Jordan
    yarmouk University
    The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST)
    International Centre for Theoretical Physics.
  • International Petra School of Physics

    was founded in 1980/1981 by his Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal

    and the late Professor Abdus Salam (founder of ICTP)

    the School will hold its 11th Edition (PSP11) during the week

    14-17 October 2025

    The University of Jordan- Yarmouk University

    The University of Jordan
    yarmouk University
    The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST)
    International Centre for Theoretical Physics.
  • International Petra School of Physics

    was founded in 1980/1981 by his Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal

    and the late Professor Abdus Salam (founder of ICTP)

    the School will hold its 11th Edition (PSP11) during the week

    14-17 October 2025

    The University of Jordan- Yarmouk University

    The University of Jordan
    yarmouk University
    The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST)
    International Centre for Theoretical Physics.
HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal

HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal

His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal believes that whatever detracts from human well-being must be questioned regardless of its effects on political order or economic growth. 
HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal has initiated, founded, and is actively involved in a number of Jordanian, regional, and international institutions. 
The International Petra School of Physics is one of these institutions.

Petra School of Physics

​​​The International Petra School of Physics (PSP) was founded in 1980/1981 by his Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal (then the Crown Prince of Jordan) and the late Professor Abdus Salam (founder of the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste) during a fleeting visit to Jordan. Since its beginnings​​​, the School was sponsored by The University of Jordan, Amman, and Yarmouk university, Irbid, and co-sponsored by ICTP. The purpose PSP was to expose Jordanian and regional students, scientists, and engineers to modern developments in cutting-edge science. Subsequently, diligent efforts were made by faculty members at The University of Jordan and Yarmouk University, and the first (PSP1) took place in 1982, with the theme “Solid State Physics”. Then, PSP2 commenced in 1983 with the theme “Surface Physics”. After that, it was decided to continue organizing the school biennially, where PSP3 took place in 1985 with the theme: “Laser Physics: Theory and Applications”. The great success of this school was evident in the advances made in the employment of fiber-optics in communications shortly after. For each of these schools we received up to $10,000 from ICTP as a co-sponsor. Then PSP4 (1987) and PSP5 (1989) commenced on schedule, and we received a minimum of $5000 from ICTP in support of each. The School was then interrupted as a consequence of the Iraqi war, where PSP6 took place in mid 1990s, ​while PSP7 took place in 2000. After that, the School was interrupted for a relatively long time, influenced by successive local, regional and international events. During this period, Prince El Hassan and his council sustained efforts to revive the School. In 2015, dedicated initiatives successfully led to its resumption, with PSP8 held in April 2016 on the theme “Low Dimensional Physics,” followed by PSP9 in October 2018, focusing on “Nano Physics: Fundamentals and Applications.” After being interrupted by the COVID pandemic, the 10th edition, with the theme, Quantum Computing: Theory and Application​, ​took place in October 2023. The 11th International Petra School of Physics is dedicated to a mult​i-disciplinary theme, namely; "Artificial Intelligence in the Natural Sciences". It will be held during the period 14-17 October 2025.​ 


Invited Speakers