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Initiative promotes Arabic language among international scholarship students

Initiative promotes Arabic language among international scholarship students
IMAMU launched the “Sofara Al Arabiya” Initiative (Ambassadors of Arabic) to develop the Arabic language skills of International Scholarship Students. (Supplied)
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Updated 20 March 2025

Initiative promotes Arabic language among international scholarship students

Initiative promotes Arabic language among international scholarship students
  • The initiative, called “Sofara Al-Arabiya” (Ambassadors of Arabic), aims to help students use the Arabic language effectively
  • Dr. Ahmed Al-Ameri, president of IMSIU, emphasized the importance of the initiative in strengthening the cultural identity of the Arabic language

RIYADH: Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University has begun a new initiative to develop the Arabic language skills of non-native speakers on international scholarships at the university.
The initiative, called “Sofara Al-Arabiya” (Ambassadors of Arabic), aims to help students use the Arabic language effectively in various cultural and professional settings, officials at IMSIU told Arab News.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Ameri, president of IMSIU, emphasized the importance of the initiative in strengthening the cultural identity of the Arabic language and its role in achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
“This initiative comes within the framework of the university’s commitment to supporting initiatives that contribute to highlighting the status of the Arabic language and its culture globally,” he said.
“The university is working to employ interdisciplinary academic disciplines to serve the Arabic language and provide language services to government and private sectors, enhancing institutional and cultural communication.”
Dr. Abdullah Al-Asmari, vice rector of IMSIU for education affairs, told Arab News: “Investing in Arabic language education represents a cultural responsibility that requires continuous interaction with changing circumstances of the era.”
“The initiative aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to enhance the status of the Arabic language as an essential part of national and cultural identity,” he said.
Dr. Khaled Al-Khara’n, dean of the College of Arabic Language at IMSIU, explained that the initiative targets international scholarship students from around the world.
“It seeks to promote the learning of Arabic as a living language capable of expressing authentic Arab culture,” he said.
“The initiative includes a set of enrichment programs aimed at developing students’ linguistic and creative skills, including training them in creative writing, publishing poetry collections, and engaging them in national and international events.”
Mohammed Al-Ammar, director of the initiative, said that it is part of the university’s efforts to prepare a generation of students proficient in Arabic language skills capable of communicating globally in creative and influential ways.
“IMSIU is working to expand the scope of the Arabic language’s influence academically and culturally, reflecting its commitment to representing national cultural identity,” Al-Ammar said.
“The initiative seeks to build bridges of communication with scholarship graduates to enhance the future impact of the Arabic language in their countries.
“With such steps, IMSIU is contributing to consolidating the status of Arabic as a global language and enhancing its presence in the international cultural scene,” he said.


Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI
Updated 33 sec ago

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

GENEVA: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha held a series of high-level meetings during his official visit to Switzerland, aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s global role in promoting inclusivity in the era of artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital economy development.

The minister met with UN International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two discussed the Kingdom’s longstanding partnership with the union spanning more than 76 years.

The minister also met with Algerian Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki, to expand partnership opportunities in the areas of digital governance, AI, and digital infrastructure.

 


PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in Ƶ

PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in Ƶ
Updated 36 min 1 sec ago

PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in Ƶ

PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in Ƶ
  • The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side’s London studio

RIYADH: PIF-backed Savvy Games Group has partnered with gaming service provider Side to open a physical studio in Riyadh later this year to further support Ƶ’s growing gaming ecosystem. 
 
The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side’s London studio. 
 
Nika Nour, head of global business development at Savvy Games Group, told Arab News: “There is no better partner than people like Side who have actually opened offices in other regions of the world, not just in Western countries like Europe or North America. 
 
“They have the experiences and the tools to actually increase services, to train up local talent, and enter communities and understand cultural nuances to forge partnerships, not just for the short term, but beyond 2030, and that’s why we’re very excited about this strategic initiative.” 
 
This is a step in expanding Side’s global footprint to 20 studios across 14 countries, providing services that range from co-development, player support, quality assurance (QA), localization QA, and audio. Their work in Ƶ will be a tailored approach to the country’s needs, initially by offering co-dev, localization and local audio recording services. 
 
Jacob Madsen, London studio head and VP of EMEA at Side, told Arab News: “From a company point of view, we’re always looking to expand into new markets. We’re always looking to try and have a diverse workforce, so that was also something that was really interesting to me. Over the four months, we’ve been kind of developing a relationship between Side and Savvy.” 
 
Savvy prides itself on its three pillars as a holdings entity at PIF: Investments in MMA games, efforts on e-sports, as noted regionally with the Esports World Cup, and most importantly, moving forward and progressing on Saudi’s national Vision 2030 initiative of gaming ecosystem development. 
 
The studio will also aim to provide youth training programs and strengthen local institutions, including collaboration with local partners such as Full Sail University, to nurture homegrown talent in co-development, localization and QA.
 
“What we tend to do when we open up a studio is very much work with the local population,” Madsen explained. “We try to bring in as few seniors or employees of other studios and hire the men and women of the country that we’re in. We are talking to Savvy about how we can connect to any existing university or training programs, whether we can bring down some of our experts — but we will also very much be training the people that we hire for the services that we’ll be providing.”
 
Savvy Academy, the company’s flagship initiative, focuses on incubation, acceleration and training with university relationships. They have also been collaborating with the International Game Developers Association’s Riyadh chapter, which has a talent pool of more than 200 individuals in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh.
 
“We have great relationships with universities that we plan on imploring, working with, to bring these experts not only to the classrooms, but also figure out how we get them from graduation into professional careers,” Nour said. 
 
The studio is set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. 


Ƶ to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October

Ƶ to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October
Updated 10 July 2025

Ƶ to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October

Ƶ to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October
  • Aim of the event is to boost transformation of the Kingdom’s healthcare sector and enhance its position as a global hub for health innovation and investment

RIYADH: The eighth annual Global Health Exhibition will take place from Oct. 27 to 30 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

The aim of the event, the theme for which is “Invest in Health,” is to help accelerate the transformation of the Kingdom’s healthcare sector in line with the goals of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, the Saudi Press Agency reported, while strengthening Ƶ’s position as a global hub for health innovation and investment.

The four-day exhibition will give health sector leaders, investors and innovators from around the world the chance to explore partnership and investment opportunities, and showcase the latest advances in healthcare technology, including developments in telemedicine, digital health and preventative care.

Organizers hope this year’s event will further boost momentum in the rapidly evolving Saudi health sector, building on the success of last year’s exhibition that attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 80 countries, who signed deals worth more than SR50 billion ($13.3 billion).

The event also reflects the Kingdom’s growing influence on the global health stage, according to organizers. Recent Saudi initiatives such as the National Biotechnology Strategy and the hosting of high-profile international gatherings — including the Fourth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in November 2024, and the upcoming 2nd annual CPHI Middle East pharmaceutical expo scheduled for December — highlight the nation’s commitment to shaping the future of healthcare, they said.

The exhibition aims to serve as a key platform for fostering collaborations and driving investment in technologies and initiatives that support healthier, more sustainable communities across the region and beyond, the organizers added.


Ƶ to introduce AI education at all grade levels starting this year

Ƶ will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country’s public school system.
Ƶ will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country’s public school system.
Updated 10 July 2025

Ƶ to introduce AI education at all grade levels starting this year

Ƶ will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country’s public school system.
  • Students will learn to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary and high schools, and continuing through university studies

RIYADH: Ƶ will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country’s public school system beginning in the coming academic year.

The introduction of this nationwide AI curriculum will support the Kingdom’s Human Capability Development Program, part of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, which is designed to create a comprehensive education system that strengthens core values and boosts the nation’s global competitiveness and AI leadership.

Students will learn how to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary school and continuing through secondary education, university studies, technical training and lifelong-learning programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The curriculum unveiled by the National Curriculum Center, with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, features age-appropriate AI modules in the form of interactive and hands-on teaching. They are designed to connect between grade levels to ensure progressive development of skills and comprehensive student-evaluation systems.

It follows the announcement by the SDAIA in April, during the Human Capability Initiative conference in Riyadh, of an “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” course for third-year high school students in the general track, in collaboration with the Curriculum Center and the Education Ministry.

This introductory course will serve as the initial phase of the curriculum development and establish the groundwork for the incorporation of AI concepts throughout academic programs, the Saudi Press Agency added.


Makkah deputy governor washes Holy Kaaba on behalf of King Salman

Washing ceremony of the Holy Kaaba was carried out on Thursday by the deputy governor of Makkah.
Washing ceremony of the Holy Kaaba was carried out on Thursday by the deputy governor of Makkah.
Updated 10 July 2025

Makkah deputy governor washes Holy Kaaba on behalf of King Salman

Washing ceremony of the Holy Kaaba was carried out on Thursday by the deputy governor of Makkah.
  • Deputy governor washed interior of Holy Kaaba with Zamzam water mixed with rose water, gently cleansing inner walls with cloth pieces soaked in a sacred blend

MAKKAH: The washing ceremony of the Holy Kaaba was carried out on Thursday by the deputy governor of Makkah, Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, on behalf of King Salman.

Upon his arrival, the deputy governor washed the interior of the Holy Kaaba with Zamzam water mixed with rose water, gently cleansing the inner walls with cloth pieces soaked in the sacred blend prepared by the General Authority for the Two Holy Mosques. He also performed Tawaf.

During the washing ritual, the prince was accompanied by several officials, accredited Islamic diplomatic corps members to the Kingdom and the hereditary keepers of the Holy Kaaba.