The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in cooperation with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, held a regional workshop on Wednesday and Thursday, 1 and 2 April 2026, titled “Assessment Systems in Programs for Teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic Speakers.” The workshop benefited 191 trainees, attending in person and via videoconferencing, from among educational professionals working in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers in 15 countries across Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

During the workshop, hosted at the Mishkat Hall at ICESCO, Dr. Samir Jaafar, an expert in educational training, presented, explained, and applied the conceptual shift in training and assessment activities related to language achievement and the development of linguistic skills, moving from automated training to comprehensive formative assessment. Dr. Jaafar also reviewed the contributions of artificial intelligence to the design, diversification, and customization of assessment tools, as well as to the scientific and precise analysis of test and assessment results, enabling teachers and educational supervisors to make pedagogical decisions based on objective data.

The expert also facilitated practical sessions during which participants were trained on how to effectively employ artificial intelligence in an educational context for the preparation of exercises and assessments.

It is worth noting that this workshop is the seventh within the “Mishkat Educational Leadership” program for the 2025–2026 academic year, implemented by ICESCO in partnership with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, and in academic cooperation with Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal in the Kingdom of Morocco. The program aims to train hundreds of leading professionals working in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers.