Sharjah:The American University of Sharjah (AUS) has signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to establish the UNESCO Chair in Arabic Language, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Heritage. This initiative, supported by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of AUS, makes AUS the sole university globally to host such a UNESCO Chair.
According to Emirates News Agency, the chair aims to support cultural preservation through advanced technological solutions, enhancing access to Arabic language and heritage. It will strengthen scholarship, skills development, and community participation. Dr. Tod A. Laursen, Chancellor of AUS, highlighted the importance of preserving Arabic cultural memory through digitization and documentation, emphasizing the role of the chair in uniting Arabic scholarship with AI and digital humanities.
The objectives of the chair include preserving Arab cultural and linguistic heritage by digitizing artifacts and endangered dialects using innovative digital tools. It plans to advance interdisciplinary research by integrating AI, machine learning, and digital tools to produce scholarly publications and open-access resources. This approach will address contemporary debates in Arab societies.
Irakli Khodeli, Chief of Management of Social Transformations at UNESCO, noted the significance of the Arabic language in the context of AI advancements, stressing the importance of ensuring Arabic language's role in technological transformations. The chair will collaborate with UNESCO and other networks to reinforce Arabic as a global language of culture, science, and innovation.
Furthermore, the chair will build regional capacity by offering training platforms, workshops, and certification programs. It seeks to foster cross-regional collaboration through open-access digital projects and engage youth and communities in digital storytelling and heritage initiatives.
At AUS, the chair will leverage existing strengths in Arabic language and cultural scholarship, aligning with the university's Center for Arab Studies and Islamic Civilizations. It will draw expertise from various departments, including Arabic linguistics and Islamic studies, to support its research and public impact.