Reviving Arabic in the Digital Age: AUK at the Emirates Literature Festival

Students from AUK participated in the International Youth Program during the 17th Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2025. The prestigious event, organized by the Emirates Literature Foundation, brought together 250 participants from leading global universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Sorbonne, and Carnegie Mellon. 

AUK was represented by Dr. Mohammad Akbar, associate professor of communication, along with communication students Rana Abu Salah and Ayah Al-Bitar. Their selection was based on academic excellence and literary potential, with full sponsorship from the Emirates Literature Foundation. 

One of the key highlights of the event was a roundtable discussion on the future of Arabic language studies in the contemporary media. Dr. Akbar shared insights alongside renowned scholars where the discussion centered on the decline in Arabic proficiency by the new generation due to the dominance of other languages, inconsistencies in teaching methodologies, and the lack of digital resources for Arabic research. Scholars also explored solutions such as integrating AI, fostering international collaborations, and bridging classical Arabic studies with modern disciplines. 

AUK’s participation in the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2025 was more than just an academic achievement—it was a milestone in elevating Kuwait’s intellectual and literary presence on the global stage. The experience enriched the delegates’ academic journey and positioned AUK as a key player in international literary and scholarly discourse.
 
 
 

Dr. Mohammed Akbar with AUK students Rana and Ayah at the festival
  

Group photo of the AUK delegates with the festival organizers