Members of the delegation with Saudi officials during the visit.
Doha, Qatar: A delegation from the Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, affiliated with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, has visited several specialised language institutions and universities in Saudi Arabia to learn about leading practices in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers and explore ways to enhance the centre’s educational programmes.
The visit aimed to familiarise the delegation with the curricula, teaching methods and educational theories adopted by Saudi institutions, as well as modern technologies used to teach Arabic to students from diverse nationalities and linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
The delegation included Assistant Director of the centre Sultan Saad Al Badr, Head of the Islamic Culture Department Dr. Ahmed Abdulrahim Al Tahan, and Dr. Yousef Rahaymi from the Arabic Language Teaching for Non-Native Speakers Section.
During the visit, the delegation toured the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, the Arabic Language Teaching Institute at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, and the College of Languages and Translation at King Saud University.
The delegation reviewed the institutions’ experiences in developing and designing curricula, delivering language content, and applying modern educational theories and teaching technologies to meet the needs of learners at different proficiency levels and from varied national backgrounds.
The visits also provided an opportunity to learn about approaches to structuring educational materials and adapting teaching methods to accommodate differences in students’ linguistic abilities and cultural backgrounds.
The initiative reflects the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ commitment, through the Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, to broadening cooperation and exchanging expertise with distinguished academic and linguistic institutions.
By drawing on Saudi Arabia’s experience in Arabic language education, the centre seeks to further develop specialised educational initiatives that promote the Arabic language among non-native speakers and improve the quality of its learning programmes.
The visit also supports the centre’s wider mission of introducing Islamic culture and strengthening intercultural dialogue, while expanding opportunities for knowledge exchange and cooperation with institutions working to promote the Arabic language internationally.
