SHARJAH, 22nd January, 2026 (WAM) -- The Arabic Language Education Centre for Gulf States in Sharjah announced the launch of the 8th International Arabic Language Conference, scheduled for January 28-29, 2026, featuring 33 workshops and seminars and the participation of 118 researchers from 23 countries.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the conference is organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. It will take place in both in-person and virtual formats under the theme "Teaching and Learning Arabic: Looking Towards the Future - Requirements, Opportunities, and Challenges", with the slogan "We Create with Arabic."

The announcement was made during a press conference at the Center's headquarters in University City, Sharjah, attended by representatives from educational, cultural, and media institutions. Speakers highlighted the conference's growing international standing and the qualitative and quantitative progress achieved in its eighth edition.

Dr Issa Saleh Al-Hammadi, Director of the Gulf Arabic Language Education Centre, said the conference serves as a high-level international platform to discuss key challenges in teaching and learning Arabic, present innovative initiatives, and offer practical solutions based on the latest research.

Dr Al-Hammadi noted that the conference includes 33 scientific sessions, comprising 22 seminars, three plenary sessions, and eight training workshops. The programme features 85 academic research papers and 20 best-practice and applied experience papers, presented by 118 researchers and speakers from 23 countries.

The conference will address six main themes, including curriculum development aligned with digital education and identity, teacher preparation and training based on 21st-century skills, modern assessment methods, innovative teaching strategies and remedial programmes, the use of artificial intelligence and digital literature in education, and Arabic language teaching for non-native speakers.

The conference aims to produce practical recommendations, identify future requirements, develop curricula that foster identity and creativity, empower teachers through advanced training, and work toward establishing unified Arabic language proficiency standards.

Dr Al-Hammadi stressed that preparations began last March, reflecting the professionalism behind organising the conference. Salem Omar Salem, Director of the ISESCO Regional Office in Sharjah, highlighted the strong strategic partnership supporting the event and its role in enriching international linguistic and educational dialogue.

Adel Wahib, Director of Programmes at the Centre, noted a significant rise in participation compared to previous editions. He highlighted the growing focus on artificial intelligence, with AI-related research papers increasing from eight last year to 21 papers in the upcoming conference, reflecting rapid global technological developments.