Professor Rowaida Al Maaitah is a Professor at the Faculty of Nursing at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), member of the higher Council of the National Centre for Curriculum Development, Consultant for Her Royal Highness Princess Muna El–Hussein for Health and Social Development and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland/School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Professor Al Maaitah has significantly contributed to the movement of education, social and health reforms including nursing and midwifery reforms in Jordan and the region. Al Maaitah has held numerous political and academic key positions that helped her to influence education, health and social policies. Positions include: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; President of the Hashemite University; Chairperson of The Higher Education Council; Senator in the Upper House of the Jordanian Parliament, Minister of state for Government Performance, Minister of Social Development; Director General of King Abdullah University teaching Hospital at JUST; Dean of Nursing, Founder and Director of the WHO collaborating Center; Vice President and Secretary General of the National Council for Family Affairs; and Chairperson of the National Agenda Technical Committee on Poverty, Health and Social Security.

She was the first woman in the region to take over the portfolio of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to serve as a president of a university (The Hashemite University) and Chairperson of the Executive Council of the Arab Women Organization at the Arab League. She was also the first woman in Jordan to serve as Vice-President of a university (JUST), and Director General of King Abdullah University teaching Hospital at JUST. She is also the first to be promoted to full professor in nursing in Jordan in 1999.

Al Maaitah earned her BSN from Jordan University, master’s and doctoral degrees in Public Health from Tulane University in 1982 and 1989, respectively. She was also a post-doctoral fellow in Administration at Louisiana State University in 1989 and attended Senior Executive leadership courses at Harvard Kennedy School.