This course, which is offered via edX, is the first of its kind on an open education platform
As the world sets its eyes on Qatar, as a country, culture and incubator for the world’s most significant sporting event FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar University (QU) launches three massive open online courses (MOOCs) on the ‘edX’ worldwide e-learning platform, contributing to the University’s commitment to provide reliable Arabic content online.
The move towards online courses is part of QU’s efforts to expand the channels of education, particularly following the repercussions of the pandemic, where several educational challenges have been identified and there is a greater need for learners to access reliable, credible content, endorsed by prestigious academic institutions.
The courses are designed by QU to extend bridges between Qatar and the world and introduce local culture and identity to a wider audience, represented by three initial courses entitled: Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers course, the Human Being in Islam course and Qatar History and Heritage course. These choices come as part of the leading position QU plays in preserving identity and based on the belief of the significant role the Arabic language plays and in promoting Arabic and Islamic fields. This is consistent with the State of Qatar’s intention to support and preserve the Arabic language and strengthen its role following the activation of Law No 7 regarding the protection of the Arabic language, which was issued by Amiri decree in 2019.
QU includes an elite group of faculty members of expertise in teaching Arabic for non-native speakers, through its dedicated ‘Arabic for Non-Native Speakers Center,’ which offers certificates of completion to international students of over 35 nationalities. Due to the growing demand for learning Arabic online, the University is keen to provide these courses with the goal of spreading knowledge. Since the launch of the courses, a few weeks ago, around 600 users have registered from all around the world.
It is worth mentioning that this course is the first of its kind on an open education platform, in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers around the world, and provides an important educational contribution that meets the needs of the educational market around the world. The university is considering to develop two more courses to complement this course, forming together a micro-specialization program for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers.
Source: Qatar University