AUS to host the world's only UNESCO Chair in Arabic Language, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Heritage

The agreement establishes a chair to drive research, teaching, training and community engagement, using digital tools and responsible AI to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage

Sharjah, UAE, 19 October 2026 — American University of Sharjah (AUS) has signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of AUS, to establish the UNESCO Chair in Arabic Language, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Heritage at AUS, making AUS the only university worldwide to host a UNESCO Chair of its kind. The chair will support cultural preservation through high-tech solutions, expanding access to Arabic language and heritage while strengthening scholarship, skills development and community participation.

“Arabic carries the memory of a region, its ideas, its poetry and its everyday voices,” said Dr. Tod A. Laursen, Chancellor of AUS. “When archives remain undigitized or dialects go undocumented, heritage becomes harder to reach and easier to lose. This UNESCO Chair will unite rigorous Arabic scholarship with responsible AI and digital humanities to preserve, curate and open new pathways to Arab cultural and linguistic heritage at scale, while training people who can carry this work forward. It reflects the Emirate of Sharjah’s enduring commitment to culture and knowledge, and it positions AUS to contribute meaningful research, accessible digital resources and regional capacity that serve communities across the Arab world and beyond.”

The chair’s objectives include preserving and providing access to Arab cultural and linguistic heritage by collecting, digitizing and curating artifacts, including endangered Arabic dialects, through innovative digital tools and multilingual metadata standards. It will also advance interdisciplinary research at the intersection of Arabic studies, AI and digital humanities by integrating AI, machine learning and digital tools to produce scholarly publications, open-access resources and new approaches to contemporary debates in Arab societies.

“With the unprecedented speed and scale of advancement and use of AI, especially Large Language Models, language is playing a critical role in the way technology is transforming societies. We must ensure that the Arabic language, used daily by more than 500 million people, is fully contributing to and benefiting from these transformations. This is the aim of UNESCO and its Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme for the Arabic Language, and we are delighted to join forces with the newly launched UNESCO Chair in Arabic Language, AI and Digital Heritage to reinforce the role of Arabic as a global language of culture, science and innovation,” said Irakli Khodeli, Chief of Management of Social Transformations (MOST) and Foresight Section, Sciences Sector, UNESCO.

In addition, the chair will build regional capacity by establishing a training platform offering workshops, certification programs and opportunities for early-career scholars, media professionals and cultural practitioners to develop skills and share research. It will strengthen cross-regional collaboration by developing open-access digital projects with institutions in the Arab States, Africa and Asia-Pacific and with UNESCO networks, while engaging youth and communities in digital storytelling and heritage initiatives. The chair will cooperate closely with UNESCO, other UNESCO Chairs and the University Twinning and Networking Programme (UNITWIN) networks on relevant programs and activities.

At AUS, the UNESCO Chair will be grounded in existing strengths in Arabic language and cultural scholarship. It aligns with the work of the university’s Center for Arab Studies and Islamic Civilizations, which emphasizes the Arabic language, heritage, history, arts and cultures of the Arab and Islamic worlds through a specialized lens that complements and challenges Western approaches. It will also draw on expertise from across several departments at AUS, including the Department of Arabic and Translation Studies, whose faculty specialize in Arabic linguistics, literature, Islamic studies, translation and interpretation and Arabic as a foreign language, supporting the chair’s research, training and public-facing impact.

About AUS

American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Inspired by his vision, AUS was established as a leading educational institution dedicated to advancing society through academic excellence, research, innovation and meaningful collaboration with industry and culture.

Today, under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, AUS is further enhancing its position regionally and globally by driving innovative research, expanding academic programs and strengthening global partnerships. 

Ranked consistently among the top 3 percent of universities in the Arab region (QS Arab Region University Rankings, 2026), AUS is also recognized globally, ranking among the top 17 percent of ranked universities in the world (QS World University Rankings, 2027).

AUS offers 33 undergraduate majors, 49 minors, 24 master’s programs and eight PhD programs through four academic units: the College of Architecture, Art and Design; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Engineering; and School of Business Administration. 

The university is licensed and its degree programs are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. AUS has been accredited in the United States of America by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) (1007 North Orange Street, 4th Floor, MB #166, Wilmington, DE 19801 USA) since June 2004. Additional international accreditations have been received from respected bodies including ABET, AACSB and NAAB.

Home to students from over 100 nationalities, AUS provides a dynamic and inclusive learning environment where students are empowered to become impactful leaders, innovators and changemakers.

AUS delivers an exceptional educational experience, combining rigorous academic standards with rich cultural diversity and practical, real-world applications, with world-class facilities, renowned faculty and a dynamic academic community.

AUS is the leading regional institution for design, architecture and creative education, ranking first in the UAE and among the top 333 globally for arts and humanities and first in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally for architecture and the built environment (QS Rankings 2026). Faculty and alumni from CAAD are acknowledged leaders in their fields and its students consistently distinguish themselves by winning major awards throughout the region and beyond.