Relations with Jordan were initiated through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 12, 2003, by the CERN DG, the Minister of Education of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the President of the International Council of SESAME, which was followed by an International Cooperation Agreement (ICA).

The possibility of organising training for Jordanian students at CERN has been discussed, within the framework of a planned Hashemite University MSc. programme in nuclear physics, nuclear engineering, radiation protection and medical physics.

Constructed in the framework of the European Union CESSAMag project, and coordinated by CERN, SESAME was inaugurated by Jordan’s King Abdullah II on 16 May 2017, and saw first light in November 2017. Following approval by the CERN Council in September 2017 of a proposal by the Management for CERN to become an Observer to the SESAME Council, CERN obtained this status in March 2018.

Following a visit by CMS to the country in February 2019, the Jordan University of Science and Technology and the University of Jordan have signaled their intention to become CMS members. Students from both universities have been participating in the CERN Summer Student programme.