The Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Center for Arabic Language Teaching and Teacher Education, established within our university, was officially inaugurated with a formal ceremony. The opening of the center, which aims to strengthen educational, cultural, and academic cooperation between Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates, was held with high-level participation.
The opening program began with a meeting attended by our Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Necmettin Bilal Erdoğan, United Arab Emirates Minister of State Dr. Maitha Alshamsi, our Rector Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan, and their accompanying delegations. Within the scope of the program, the official opening of the center located in the School of Languages building was held, followed by speeches at the Media and Events Center Event Hall.
The ceremony was attended by the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye, Saeed Thani Hareb Juma Al Dhaheri; the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the United Arab Emirates, Lütfullah Göktaş; Consul General Saeed Almuhairi; Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Mouza Alhosani; Director of the Office of the UAE Minister of State, Huda Alhassani; as well as senior administrators and academics from United Arab Emirates University. Representing our university, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan Gündüz, Rector Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan, and Secretary General Sebahattin Belik were also present at the ceremony.
In her address, United Arab Emirates Minister of State Dr. Maitha Alshamsi emphasized that the center would contribute to further strengthening cultural and academic relations between the two countries. She noted that the center would offer opportunities for education, continuing education, and specialized studies in the field of the Arabic language, while also contributing to the promotion of Emirati and Arab culture and providing an important academic platform for researchers and students.
The Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Center for Arabic Language Teaching and Teacher Education, which was officially opened, aims to develop teaching methodologies and support the professional development of teachers by adopting contemporary and innovative approaches to Arabic language instruction. The center seeks to enhance the effectiveness of Arabic language education through digital tools and interactive teaching materials, while increasing Türkiye’s international visibility in the field of Arabic language education through academic collaborations.
As part of the center’s activities, a cultural corner featuring cultural gifts sent by the United Arab Emirates to our university was also established. Located on the Arabic floor of the School of Languages at Ibn Haldun University, this area displays traditional clothing, everyday cultural items, and various publications reflecting Arab culture, offering students an opportunity to become more closely acquainted with Arab cultural heritage.
The opening program concluded with a luncheon attended by university students.
