In a groundbreaking development, the American University of Sharjah (AUS) has signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to establish a pioneering UNESCO Chair in Arabic Language, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Heritage. This initiative is graciously sponsored by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of AUS and Chairwoman of its Board of Trustees, making AUS the first and only university worldwide to host such a UNESCO chair.
Objectives of the UNESCO Chair
The newly established chair will play a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage by leveraging advanced technological solutions aimed at expanding access to the Arabic language and Arab heritage. The initiative focuses on enhancing scientific research, skill development, and promoting community engagement.
Dr. Todd Larson, Director of the American University of Sharjah, commented on the significance of this chair, stating, “The Arabic language carries the memory of an entire region, encompassing its ideas, poetry, and daily voices. When archives remain outside the digital realm, or dialects go undocumented, accessing heritage becomes increasingly difficult, and the risk of losing it grows. This chair merges rigorous research in Arabic language, responsible use of artificial intelligence, and digital humanities to preserve and organise Arabic cultural and linguistic heritage, paving the way for broad accessibility while training future competencies to continue this work.”
A Commitment to Culture and Knowledge
Dr. Larson further emphasised that “this chair embodies Sharjah’s steadfast commitment to culture and knowledge, while strengthening the American University of Sharjah’s role in delivering impactful research, accessible digital resources, and building regional capacities that serve communities in the Arab world and beyond.”
The chair aims to facilitate the preservation and accessibility of Arabic cultural and linguistic heritage by collecting, digitising, and organising heritage materials, including endangered Arabic dialects, utilising innovative digital tools and multilingual metadata standards.
Fostering Interdisciplinary Research
Additionally, the chair seeks to promote interdisciplinary research in the fields of Arabic studies, artificial intelligence, and digital humanities. It aims to employ artificial intelligence and machine learning along with digital tools to produce academic research, open-access resources, and novel approaches that contribute to enriching contemporary discussions within Arabic societies.
In this context, Irakli Khudily, Head of the Social Transformation Management and Foresight Division in UNESCO’s Science Sector, stated, “In light of the unprecedented acceleration in artificial intelligence development and its extensive use, particularly large language models, language plays a critical role in how technology reshapes communities. It is essential to ensure that the Arabic language, spoken by more than 500 million people daily, fully contributes to these transformations and benefits from them simultaneously. This goal aligns with UNESCO’s Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme to support the Arabic language, and we are pleased to join efforts with the newly launched UNESCO Chair in Arabic Language, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Heritage to enhance the role of Arabic as a global language of culture, science, and innovation.”
Building Regional Capacities and Collaboration
The chair will contribute to building regional capacities by establishing a training platform that offers workshops, certification programmes, and opportunities for early-career researchers, journalists, and cultural professionals to enhance their skills and share their research. It will also promote cross-regional collaboration through the development of accessible open digital projects with institutions in the Arab world, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, working in tandem with UNESCO networks to engage youth and communities in digital storytelling initiatives and heritage preservation.
Collaboration will also extend to close ties with UNESCO and other UNESCO Chairs, as well as the organisation’s university twinning programme for related initiatives and activities.
A Strong Academic Foundation
The UNESCO Chair at the American University of Sharjah is built upon a solid academic and research foundation in Arabic language and cultural studies. It aligns with the work of the Centre for Arab Studies and Islamic Civilisation, which focuses on Arabic language, heritage, history, arts, and the cultures of the Arab and Islamic worlds from a specialised perspective that complements and discusses Western approaches.
Furthermore, the chair will benefit from the diverse expertise available across various departments within the university, including the Department of Arabic Language and Translation, which houses faculty members specialised in Arabic linguistics, Arabic literature, Islamic studies, translation, and teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages, thus enhancing the research, training, and community impact of the chair.