In a step confirming the commitment of the Gulf University to enhance its leadership in the field of artificial intelligence and develop the higher education system, the university concluded the activities of the Arab Forum for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education, which was organized in cooperation with the British Times High Education, in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Diana Abdel Karim Al -Jahrami, Secretary -General of the Higher Education Council in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and with participation 387 academics and experts from different countries of the world.
The forum was held under the slogan: “Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Paying the Innovation Wheel through Work”, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the Gulf Hotel, and a group of academic leaders, decision makers, researchers and experts from educational and industrial institutions in the Gulf region, the Arab world, Europe and Asia participated in it. The forum formed a strategic platform that brought together faculty members from Bahrain universities and artificial intelligence experts from around the world, to discuss practical applications of artificial intelligence in university governance, learning experience, and scientific research, in line with the urgent digital transformations in the academic environment.
In her opening speech, His Excellency Dr. Diana Abdel Karim Al -Jahrami confirmed that the forum is a qualitative platform that reflects the strategic directions of the Higher Education Council in promoting innovation and employing artificial intelligence within higher education institutions. She explained that the council is working to support the qualitative programs related to artificial intelligence, developing curricula and research outputs, and building academic and professional skills for students, stressing that artificial intelligence has become an indispensable pivotal component in the educational system.
It also pointed to the importance of the strategic partnership with the “The Times for Higher Education”, with which the Council cooperates to analyze the reality of higher education in the Kingdom, develop the performance of its institutions, and prepare a comprehensive national strategy for higher education and scientific research for the next contract. She pointed out that Bahrain is continuing to consolidate a smart educational model based on societal and moral values, and keeps pace with international best practices, in a way that contributes to building a knowledge economy based on the human element.
For its part, Professor Mona Bint Rashid Al Zayani, Chairman of the Gulf University and Chairman of its Board of Trustees, explained that the organization of the forum comes from the Board of Trustees ’keenness to support qualitative initiatives that enhance the university’s position at the local and international levels. She said: “The forum represents a qualitative shift in the education process at the Gulf University, which since its foundation has relied on integrating modern technologies into its programs. We have reassessed and developing our academic programs, and actually integrating artificial intelligence applications in all courses, to become a major driver of the educational process.”
For his part, Professor Muhannad Al -Farras, President of the Gulf University, stressed that the forum comes within the framework of the university’s commitment to its strategy aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into academic programs, noting that all members of the university’s academic body were subjected to advanced international training and obtained certificates accredited in artificial intelligence. He added: “The Gulf University hosting this forum with the participation of international experts reflects its advanced location as an academic institution that adopts digital transformation. We have already started applying artificial intelligence technologies in the fields of teaching, evaluation and university management, and we seek to enhance the university’s leadership in this field by focusing on central issues such as developing human skills, entrepreneurship, and integration between education and technology.”
The forum witnessed the proposal of advanced practical visions on the future of higher education in light of the techniques of artificial intelligence, as the participants stressed the importance of redesigning educational curricula to keep pace with the requirements of the digital age, by integrating digital skills and innovation in the structure of academic programs.
Participants also discussed ways to enhance smart university governance using artificial intelligence tools to improve performance efficiency and decision -making within educational institutions, and link scientific research to the industrial and economic sectors within the framework of the knowledge economy. The forum also stressed the importance of building effective international partnerships that contribute to developing an innovative and sustainable educational environment, which supports smart transformation in higher education.
Despite the praise of the extensive potential of artificial intelligence, the speakers stressed that the human mind and the human dimension remains unbelievable, especially in the design of educational policies and the formulation of educational solutions of an ethical nature.
At the end of the forum’s work, the Gulf University affirmed its continuation of the implementation of a comprehensive plan to integrate artificial intelligence in education, research and community service, in line with national and international requirements, and enhances the quality of higher education outcomes in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the region.
