Princess Sumaya bint Hassan

Sumaya bint Hassan (born 14 May 1971) is a princess of Jordan.

Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan
Born	14 May 1971 Amman, Jordan
Spouse	Nasser Judeh ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 2007)​
Issue	4
House	Hashemite
Father	Prince Hassan bin Talal
Mother	Sarvath Ikramullah
Religion	Islam

Early life

Sumaya was born in Amman on 14 May 1971, to Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath al-Hassan. She received her primary education at the Amman Baptist School in Jordan, and subsequently at the International Community School. Sumaya later attended Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset, in England. She went on to graduate from the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London with a Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art, specializing in Early Sources Of Islamic Art and Architecture.

Public life

In 1991, Sumaya founded the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), and remains actively involved in its day-to-day management. Her aim was to build a regional hub for IT research and development, and today PSUT has become the leading science and technology institution in Jordan.

She was appointed President of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) in October 2006 by her father Hassan Bin Talal, the founder of RSS. Previously, she had sat on its Board of Trustees.

In her capacity as President of the Royal Scientific Society, Sumaya sits as a member of the Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), a government body that advises the State on public policy issues relating to science and technology. She is also founder of the Queen Rania Centre for Entrepreneurship (QRCE), Jordan's first and only university-based centre for Entrepreneurship, and established the Queen Rania National Business Plan Competition for aspiring student entrepreneurs.

She was elected as Chair of the Board of Governors of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) Technology Centre, based on the RSS campus. She has been a supporter of SESAME for over a decade and has raised awareness of the project at numerous global high-level fora. In May 2017, the King of Jordan invited Sumaya to head the Jordan Delegation at SESAME's official opening.

Sumaya chaired the 8th World Science Forum 2017 held in Jordan from 7-10 November 2017 under the theme of "Science for Peace".[1] The World Science Forum 2017 marked its first time in the Middle East.

Sumaya serves as Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Amman Baccalaureate School, which she joined in 2005, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Hashemite Society for Education. In 2009, Sumaya became a member of the Jordan Council of Higher Education. She is on the advisory board of the Global Young Academy.

Private life

Sumaya married Nasser Judeh in August 1992, Jordan's former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. They have four children: Tariq Judeh (born 1994) - twin brother of Zein, Zein el Sharaf Judeh (born 1994), Ali Judeh (born 1996), Sukayna Judeh (born 1998). The couple divorced in 2007.

References

1. "King inaugurates World Science Forum at Dead Sea". Jordan Times. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2019.