AMMAN, March 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Columbia University on Sunday launched the Columbia Global Centers (Amman) in the Jordanian capital, local official Petra news agency reported.

    The Amman Center is among the first ones of a network of centers around the world the Columbia University intends to establish to promote and facilitate international collaborations, new research projects, academic programming and study abroad, the report said.

    The Center will facilitate new partnerships throughout the Middle East, acting as a hub for intellectual exchange by engaging both faculty and students in meaningful programs, according to officials with Columbia Global Centers.

    In the opening address at the launching ceremony, Jordan's Queen Rania highlighted the significance of Columbia University's presence in the region, saying "it embodies the most sacred tenet of the academic world: that knowledge and ideas are for all humanity, that academia has no borders."

    She also noted that the center will "build a new landmark on the academic landscape which will help to transform Jordan into a hub of intellectual activity."

    Columbia Global Centers are established with the goal to encourage new collaboration across academic disciplines at Columbia and with other universities.

    The centers are also intended to support a significant expansion of opportunities for Columbia students and researchers to do work abroad, with the flexibility to pursue long- or short-term projects.

    The first Columbia Global Center officially opened on Friday in Beijing, China. To maintain and build on its already active international presence, Columbia University envisions the future establishment of four to six additional research centers abroad in the years ahead.