Empowering Students: The Role of Jordanian Universities in Raising Awareness of Cybercrime Threats

The study aimed to reveal the extent of Jordanian universities' role in developing their students' awareness of the dangers of cybercrime from the students’ perspective. It also sought to identify the presence of statistically significant differences at the level of (α=0.05) in the responses of the study sample based on the variables of gender, college, academic level, and university. The study employed a descriptive survey method, utilizing a questionnaire developed by the researchers, consisting of 39 items to gather the necessary data to achieve the objectives. The sample consisted of students from the academic year 2021/2022, in line with statistics from the Higher Education Guide. The questionnaires were distributed electronically via email and in paper form through direct outreach in universities. Additionally, observational notes were utilized as a qualitative method to enrich the findings. Results indicated that the respondents' assessment of Jordanian universities' role in educating students about the dangers of cybercrime was relatively low. Notably, for the college variable, the faculty members in humanities disciplines were perceived to be more effective in raising awareness of cybersecurity. Regarding academic levels, the university administration was found to be more effective in raising awareness among students pursuing higher diplomas compared to those at the master’s level, while the role of student unions and clubs in cybersecurity awareness was more significant for doctoral students compared to those in master’s or bachelor’s programs. Furthermore, among the universities, Yarmouk University was identified as the most effective in all areas of educating students about the dangers of cybercrime. These findings carry important implications for university administrators and policymakers, highlighting the need for enhanced educational programs and strategies to improve cybersecurity awareness among all student demographics at Jordanian universities.