QFI Advances Arabic Language Education at AUC International Conference

Cairo, Egypt (December 2025) – Qatar Foundation International (QFI) participated in the 2025 American University in Cairo biennial International Conference on “Innovation and the Evolving Landscape of Arabic Language Learning: K-16 and Beyond” at the New Cairo Campus from December 17–18. This global gathering brings together scholars, educators, policymakers, and practitioners to foster dialogue and collaboration in Arabic linguistics and pedagogy. Attendees explored forward looking research, innovative teaching methodologies, and emerging trends shaping the future of Arabic language learning, with a particular focus on K-16 education and Arabic as both a first and second language.

This conference aligns with QFI’s focus to strengthen Arabic language education research in primary and secondary schools. It is an opportunity for key stakeholders to foster collaboration and create pathways for educators to access broader networks and resources. Through this engagement, QFI helps build inclusive ecosystems that drive innovation in Arabic language learning.

QFI’s presence also highlights its commitment to supporting educators through the Research to Practice Travel Grant (RtP), which enables educators to present their research at major conferences. This initiative bridges the gap between research and classroom practice, empowering educators to share insights that shape the future of Arabic instruction.

Accepted presentations from RtP grant recipients address critical topics in Arabic language education, including:

• Welcoming Languages: Teaching Arabic to Scottish primary school staff to foster welcoming and inclusion
• Empowering Arabic Language Teachers Through Collaborative Design and Practice: A Situative Approach to Professional Development
• The Impact of Integrating Dialectal Variation in the GCSE Arabic Classroom: A QFI-supported action research project
• Using AI in the Arabic Immersion Classroom

In addition to these sessions, QFI Research Officer Janine Elya and Associate Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London, Sawsan Haffar presented “LEARNS: A Dual-Language Program to Support Arabic-Speaking Newcomers in Irish Schools.” LEARNS (Language Enrichment for ARabic-speaking adolesceNts in Schools) is a pioneering summer program launched in 2023 by QFI in collaboration with the SALaM Ireland research team at Maynooth University and Irish schools. This two-week initiative combines intensive English and Arabic instruction to support the language development and educational integration of newly arrived students. Now in its third year, LEARNS has expanded to include primary school students, reflecting QFI’s commitment to inclusive education and linguistic equity.

“LEARNS is much more than a summer program, it is an important orientation to life in Ireland for newcomer Arabic-speaking students from conflict-affected contexts,” said Janine Elya. “By improving Arabic literacy, teaching communicative English skills, and modeling ‘school ready’ behavior, the program prepares these students for academic success in the Irish school system. We are excited to share the LEARNS program as a potential model for other short-term dual-language immersion programs.”

QFI’s engagement at this conference underscores its role in strengthening the Arabic language education system.

About Qatar Foundation International
Qatar Foundation International (QFI), based in Washington, DC, is dedicated to advancing the teaching and learning of Arabic as a global language.