Jordan’s public universities are aiming to increase their Internet presence through a new online platform that will pool lectures, examinations, and lesson plans.

The Jordan Universities Network (JUNet), in partnership with Microsoft Jordan, will launch the Jordan Open Courseware Platform—www.elearning.edu.jo—in the autumn.

The move is part of JUNet’s “commitment to simplifying and accelerating the procedure of attaining information needed by university students for teaching and learning processes, as well as for completing their researches,” JUNet Executive Director Faruq al-Omari said in a statement.

The platform will be developed later to become a research hub for all the Kingdom’s universities that will also help ease the exchange of information between students. Further services will also include web-based classes, exams, a digital library, and cross research activities.

Microsoft Office Manager in Jordan Hussein Malhas said through this step his company was seeking “to enhance local higher education standards on par with worldwide educational systems, as well as empower youth to excel within their respective majors.”

Jordan’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology Majd Shweikeh said the platform was a positive step towards further integrating technology in the learning process, which would help advance the standards of higher education across the country.