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Yarmouk University, (abbreviated as YU) is a public state-supported university located near the city centre of Irbid in northern Jordan.Since it was established by Royal Decree in 1976, Yarmouk University has topped the best university lists in Jordan and the Middle East.YU has around 37,000 students working within a total of 15 faculties offering 52 bachelor's degrees, 64 master's degrees, and 18 PhD programmes in different disciplines. The university also hosts 12 research and career centres, including the Aqaba Marine Science Station at Aqaba,The Refugees, Displaced Persons & Forced Migration Studies Center and the UNESCO Chair for Desert Studies & Combat Desertification.The institution has an FM radio station that broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the frequency of 105.7 FM, airing the news, music, political, social and academic programmes and the weather forecast. It also prints the Sahafat Al-Yarmouk newspaper.Yarmouk University’s Museum of Jordanian Heritage displays cultural artefacts, including centuries-old stone carvings.All university buildings are located near the city centre of Irbid, the second largest city in Jordan.Irbid, anciently known as Arabella is about 85 km (53 miles) north of Amman, situated at an equal distance from Pella and Umm Qais, and is a good base from which to explore the northern Jordan Valley or to start a trip to Umm Qais, Pella, Ajloun, Umm el-Jimal, or Syria.Before the advent of Islam, Arabella was famous for producing some of the best wines in the ancient world. The area in the region had extremely fertile soil and moderate climate, allowing the growth of high-quality grapes. After the Muslim conquests, it came under the rule of the Muslim Empire, the city became known as Irbid, and shifted from wine to olive oil production.