Today, Sunday, Al-Ahlya Amman University kicked off the work of the General Conference of the Association of Arab Universities in its 54th session, with the participation of 200 Arab university presidents and representatives of various Arab, regional and international organizations.
Dr. Amr Izzat Salama, Secretary General of the Association of Arab Universities, said at the opening of the conference, which was attended by Dr. Wajih Wise, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and two Assistant Secretaries General. Of the Federation, Dr. Abdel Rahim Al-Hunaiti and Dr. Khamisi Hamidi, that the Federation of Arab Universities is a joint Arab initiative and a landmark of Arab unity.
During the two-day conference, Salama stressed that the union today represents an interface that through its projects and strategies to create research trends towards a knowledge society, to invest in the innovation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the environment of artificial intelligence, and the level of current and future projects in the region. Grow and prepare graduates for new jobs suitable for the huge changes in the world.
Dr. Salama indicated that the Association of Arab Universities is keen to support and coordinate scientific, academic and research efforts that seek to achieve sustainable development in our Arab countries and to work with Arab universities to organize scientific efforts to overcome barriers and agreements. In difficult situations with a scientific and positive outlook.
The projects the union is working on to implement are the Arab Council for the Classification of Universities, the Arab League Development Project, the Arab Qualification Framework and the Arab Impact Factor.
Dr. Salama noted that the union has 26 associations, 10 councils and two centers, in addition to two funds for scientific research and support for Palestinian universities, these associations, councils and centers are active according to their specialties. At the level of the faculty of the Arab University, and the cooperation agreement, the number of agreements terminated by the Union exceeded 30 agreements in early 2019 to 2019.
He explained that the union has several annual awards, namely, the Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd University Award for Best Scientific Production, the Best Masters Thesis Award, and the Best Doctoral Thesis Award.
In turn, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Abul Geet, in his address to the conference, said, Wants to support universities and unify bonds. “Interact with them in multiple and different ways.
Abul Geet cites continued cooperation between the League of Arab States and the Arab University Federation in several powerful and vital files, the most important of which is the Arab Project for Classifying Universities, one of the ambitious projects to be launched. In 2022, the Arab Organization for Education, in collaboration with Culture and Science, aims to categorize our Arab universities according to the situation of Arab universities and Arab Vision.
He pointed to the union’s cooperation with the Arab League in developing Arab strategies for scientific and technological research and innovation, as well as supporting the Arab League’s “Education for Return” initiative, which aims to provide scholarships for Arab students affected by the Arab conflict. Protocol signed with Arab University.
For his part, Dr. Isa Al-Ansari, President of the Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd University in Saudi Arabia, who previously chaired the General Conference of the Association of Arab Universities at its 53rd session, praised the Union’s program and plans. Is working to increase the scientific and academic level in all Arab universities.
For his part, Dr. Mohamed Ould Amr, Director General of the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Science, noted the great efforts of the Federation of Arab Universities, aimed at increasing the competition of Arab universities globally. In various fields, especially in the academic and administrative aspects.
Meanwhile, ISESCO Adviser Dr. Omar Al-Hilli called on Arab universities to focus on scientific research and use its findings to serve the Arab community, enabling Arab countries to find solutions to the problems they are facing, especially in the economic and social spheres.
On her behalf, Dr. Sari Hamdan, President of Al-Ahlya Amman University and President of the Executive Council of the Association of Arab Universities, said, “I am overwhelmed with joy when I see this distinguished gathering of Arab scholars. One is after a two-year hiatus due to the Corona epidemic, which forced us to switch to multiple electronic channels. “
Hamdan demanded that we reconsider some of the concepts and methods associated with the educational process, which began to take shape and rely on Baabd and the approach to learning about mixed education, as the Arab Universities Association took an active step by issuing a practical guideline for distance. Learning to ensure the minimum standards required to control the process. The guide has become an Arab and international reference that contributes to ensuring the security of the distance learning process.