Saudi academy launches diploma to improve Arabic skills for government employees

KSGAAL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Washmi (third from left) speaks during the launch of the higher diploma in proofreading on Wednesday in Riyadh. (Supplied)
KSGAAL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Washmi (third from left) speaks during the launch of the higher diploma in proofreading on Wednesday in Riyadh. (Supplied)
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Updated 17 October 2024
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Saudi academy launches diploma to improve Arabic skills for government employees

KSGAAL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Washmi (third from left) speaks during the launch of the higher diploma in proofreading.
  • Diploma program aims to enhance linguistic proficiency in government sectors by providing high-quality training in diverse areas of proofreading

RIYADH: King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or KSGAAL, has announced the opening of registration for a higher diploma in Arabic, which started from Oct. 16.

This diploma program aims to enhance linguistic proficiency in government sectors by providing high-quality training in diverse areas of proofreading and qualifying specialists in this field.

The higher diploma program seeks to enhance linguistic identity and ensure adherence to the standards of Arabic language, explained KSGAAL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah Al-Washmi.




KSGAAL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah Al-Washmi. (Supplied)

The diploma also enhances the role of the Arabic language in professional fields, increases its effective use within Saudi entities and institutions, and contributes to meeting the labor market’s demands, Al-Washmi said.

He said that the higher diploma was accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and based on high-quality training standards.

Al-Washmi added that this certificate qualified trainees for an additional degree if they held the 10th rank or below within the public employee salary scale.

The program also aims to maintain the integrity of the language and support it in both pronunciation and writing, in addition to facilitating its teaching and learning both within the Kingdom and abroad.

Graduates of the proofreading diploma program are expected to possess advanced linguistic knowledge and skills.

This program qualifies its graduates for job opportunities as “linguistic specialists” and “proofreaders,” according to the unified Saudi classification of professions in both the public and private sectors.

The proofreading diploma is set to last for a full academic year, totaling 435 training hours.

Speaking the Arabic language enhances cultural and national identity as it is an integral part of this identity.




Dr. Ayman Bayoumi Al-Jundi, a professor of grammar and morphology at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University. (Supplied)

Consequently, proficiency in Arabic reflects employees’ respect for local culture and strengthens their national belonging, said Dr. Ayman Bayoumi Al-Jundi, a professor of grammar and morphology at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University.


Saudi Arabia expresses solidarity with Kuwait after military accident

Saudi Arabia on Thursday expressed its solidarity with Kuwait after two army personnel died during a military exercise. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia on Thursday expressed its solidarity with Kuwait after two army personnel died during a military exercise. (AFP)
Updated 8 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia expresses solidarity with Kuwait after military accident

Saudi Arabia on Thursday expressed its solidarity with Kuwait after two army personnel died during a military exercise. (AFP)
  • Kingdom expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and to the government and people of Kuwait
  • Two members of the Kuwaiti Ground Forces died during a night shooting drill with live ammunition on Wednesday

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday expressed its solidarity with Kuwait after two army personnel died during a military exercise.

The two members of the Kuwaiti Ground Forces died during a night shooting drill with live ammunition on Wednesday as part of a joint military exercise between Kuwait and the US. Two other soldiers were injured during the incident.

Major Sergeant Ahmad Farhan Harat and Sergeant Musaad Dhahi Saleh were buried on Thursday in Sulaibikhat Cemetery, Kuwait News Agency reported.

Special technical teams, involving the US military, have been formed to investigate the incident, KUNA added.

The Kingdom expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and to the government and people of Kuwait, a foreign ministry statement said. It also wished the injured a speedy recovery.


UK and Saudi Arabia ‘natural partners’ in innovation and tech

UK and Saudi Arabia ‘natural partners’ in innovation and tech
Updated 13 min 23 sec ago
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UK and Saudi Arabia ‘natural partners’ in innovation and tech

UK and Saudi Arabia ‘natural partners’ in innovation and tech
  • Peter Kyle, Britain’s science minister, says collaboration with the Kingdom will help both countries benefit from AI advances
  • Tells Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that demand for clean energy is ‘massive shared opportunity’

LONDON: The UK plans to deepen its relationship with Saudi Arabia in the areas of innovation and technology, a UK government minister said during a visit to the Kingdom.

Bringing together expertise from the two countries will help them both benefit from the rapid advances in new technologies, the UK’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Peter Kyle told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

The UK wants “to continue to work closely with Saudi Arabia to bring together our science and tech expertise so we can ensure potentially game-changing innovations can benefit both our nations,” Kyle said in the interview published on Thursday.

“The UK and Saudi Arabia are natural partners in these areas, with shared ambitions when it comes to both innovation and our strengths in science and technology. Right across the world, breakthrough technologies like AI, quantum, and engineering biology are starting to transform our economies and societies.”

Kyle said the UK and Saudi Arabia were also working together on clean energy and hydrogen technologies after they launched a joint energy partnership in January 2022.

The agreement was strengthened by a visit in December to Riyadh by the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. 

During the trip, the UK and Saudi Arabia signed agreements covering environmentally-sustainable advanced materials and hydrogen.

“We have made becoming a clean energy superpower one of our key government missions, and the growing demand for clean energy is a massive shared opportunity — for growth, for green jobs, and for enhanced energy security,” Kyle said.

“By further building the commercial and investment ties between our two countries, we can drive research and innovation and build the skills we need to continue the net-zero transition — benefitting us all.”

During his visit to the Kingdom, the minister went to the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center and met the medics who carried out the first robotic heart transplant in January.

He also visited King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.


SR2,000 prizes on offer for best Founding Day outfits

SR2,000 prizes on offer for best Founding Day outfits
Updated 40 min 55 sec ago
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SR2,000 prizes on offer for best Founding Day outfits

SR2,000 prizes on offer for best Founding Day outfits
  • Members of the public are invited to submit photos of their traditional Saudi attire via the ministry’s website from Feb. 22-28
  • Competition aims to encourage people to promote traditional Saudi clothing while supporting both local fashion designers and content creators

RIYADH: The 50 best Founding Day outfits will win SR2,000 each as part of a competition by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.

Members of the public are invited to submit photos of their traditional Saudi attire via the ministry’s website from Feb. 22-28. Winners will be notified by email between March 12-14, with a total of SR100,000 shared between the 50 best submissions.

The competition aims to encourage people to promote traditional Saudi clothing while supporting both local fashion designers and content creators, said a ministry statement.

Everyone is welcome to take part. Pictures should be of high quality and feature traditional Saudi dress style. Outfits must be inoffensive and age-appropriate to the entrant. The Founding Day hashtag must also be used.

A brochure detailing the competition guidelines can be found on the ministry’s website, where people can also submit their photographs for the competition — visit here.

Traditional attire for men includes the ghutra headdress and bisht robe, while for women it includes the shayla headscarf and thobe.

Saudi Arabia has a rich history of diverse and colorful fashion when it comes to its traditional costumes, with each region displaying different tribal styles. Only a small number of items are well known; many have been forgotten due to lack of proper documentation and tribal migration.

Founding Day takes place on Saturday, Feb. 22. The national holiday was introduced in 2022 as a way to commemorate the founding of the First Saudi State in 1727. This year’s celebrations include music concerts, art exhibitions and other cultural activities in the Kingdom’s major cities.


Putin thanks Saudi crown prince for hosting US-Russia talks during phone call

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (File/SPA/AFP)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (File/SPA/AFP)
Updated 20 February 2025
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Putin thanks Saudi crown prince for hosting US-Russia talks during phone call

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (File/SPA/AFP)
  • Prince Mohammed stressed the Kingdom’s commitment to making every possible effort to enhance global peace and security

RIYADH: Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed on Thursday his appreciation to the Kingdom and its crown prince for hosting US-Russian talks in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During a phone call between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Putin, the president also praised the depth of relations between their countries and his keenness to develop them in various fields.

Prince Mohammed stressed the Kingdom’s commitment to making every possible effort to enhance global peace and security due to its belief that dialogue is the only way to resolve all international crises.


Senior Muslim scholars express appreciation for King Salman’s patronage of MWL Islamic conference

MWL will host the second edition of the Global Conference for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects.
MWL will host the second edition of the Global Conference for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects.
Updated 20 February 2025
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Senior Muslim scholars express appreciation for King Salman’s patronage of MWL Islamic conference

MWL will host the second edition of the Global Conference for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects.
  • MWL members confirmed that King Salman’s sponsorship of the event is an extension of Saudi Arabia’s role in strengthening Islamic solidarity

RIYADH: Muslim World League chief Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa said members of the organization’s bodies, assemblies, and councils have thanked King Salman for his patronage of a conference to be held in Makkah during Ramadan.

MWL will host the second edition of the Global Conference for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects on March 6-7 in Makkah, Saudi Press Agency announced on Tuesday.

The conference will bring together leading muftis, scholars, intellectuals, and representatives from senior Islamic councils, jurisprudential academies, and religious institutions across different sects and denominations.

It will serve as a unified platform for fostering constructive dialogue among diverse Islamic traditions as well as coordinating efforts and resources to strengthen Islamic unity, while ensuring mutual respect for doctrinal diversity.

Al-Issa explained that members of the organization confirmed that King Salman’s sponsorship of the event is an extension of Saudi Arabia’s role in strengthening Islamic solidarity, especially among Muslim scholars of various sects.

Al-Issa added that members of the league’s Supreme Council, Jurisprudence Council, and World Supreme Council for Mosques praised the Kingdom’s influence and its influential and respected word among Muslim nations around the world.