The Arabic for Non-Native Speakers Center (ANNS) at Qatar University (QU) celebrated the graduation of its latest cohort in a ceremony attended by Dr. Fatima Al-Kubaisi, Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Seeta Al-Athba, Associate Dean for Languages, Communication and Translation, alongside faculty members and esteemed guests.
The ceremony event showcased the linguistic proficiency of the students, who have spent a year immersing themselves in Arabic language and culture. The event was a vibrant reflection of cultural diversity and linguistic excellence. It featured speeches from the ANNS's administration and graduates, a documentary film about the center, a choir performance, and a theatrical play. The event culminated in the awarding of certificates to the graduates, symbolizing their hard-earned achievements and their readiness to contribute to global cultural understanding.
In his address, Dr. Alaa Ibrahim, Director of ANNS at QU, emphasized that the ceremony was not just a celebration of an academic year filled with hard work and memorable experiences, but also a celebration of diversity, respect for differences, and the success of a program that has been thriving for nearly forty years. He highlighted how the ANNS has become a model for achieving cultural understanding and discovering shared human values through the gateway of learning Arabic.
Dr. Ibrahim noted that QU had long recognized the pivotal role ANNS could play in supporting its academic relationships and achieving the strategic goals of the nation. Over the years, the center has made significant strides in establishing its reputation as one of the most renowned and high-quality Arabic language centers both regionally and internationally. The growing number of partnerships with prestigious global universities, which now total 34 agreements, making the ANNS one of the university’s top destinations for international students, evidences this reputation.
He also mentioned the recent visit by Her Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education to the center, which demonstrated confidence in the center's programs and activities and conveyed appreciation for its role in promoting the Arabic language and serving its learners.
Dr. Ibrahim further outlined the ANNS's ongoing developmental journey aimed at enhancing its academic, cultural, and civilizational mission through well-structured and timely implementation plans. Despite the short period since these plans were approved by the university's higher administration, substantial progress has been made.
Dr. Alaa added, “One of the significant achievements is the center's readiness to launch a fully remote Arabic language program, marking the first completely remote program at the university. Additionally, the center has expanded its offering of open-source online courses, adding two new courses to its existing successful offerings, which have attracted nearly forty thousand learners from around the world to date.”
Dr. Alaa pointed out that the ANNS has also successfully developed an electronic proficiency test for measuring linguistic competency, adhering to the highest quality standards, in collaboration with QU's Testing Center.
“On the research front, the center has been actively engaged, with faculty members participating in numerous conferences and producing esteemed scholarly work, earning prestigious awards for some of their contributions. The center has also continued its pivotal role in serving the local community by providing language courses and educational consultations to various stakeholders, establishing itself as a hub of expertise in the field.” He explained.
Concluding his speech, Dr. Ibrahim congratulated the students on their outstanding academic accomplishments and urged them to continue their journey with the Arabic language. He expressed gratitude to the university administration, the college deanship, and the sector for their continuous support, and extended heartfelt thanks to the faculty and administrative staff for their dedication and hard work. He also thanked the university's partners for their collaboration.
Representing the graduates, student Eldar Mirzaev spoke about the emotional mix of joy and sorrow felt by the students. He shared that while they were elated by their academic success and the progress they made in mastering Arabic at this esteemed university, they were also saddened by the impending farewells as they prepared to leave Doha and return to their home countries. Mirzaev expressed deep gratitude to the center's faculty, QU, and the State of Qatar for their warm hospitality and the invaluable opportunity to study Arabic.