In view of the huge demand of Arabic language learning, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh is offering language courses for non-Arabic speakers. The decision to start these courses stems from the fact that Arabic highlights the identity and culture of Arabs and Muslims. The courses will be offered by an institute at the university, which was set up about five years ago. Students from more than 40 countries enrolled in an Arabic diploma program at the institute since its establishment. Thus the language has unified various cultures under one roof. The institute launched the Arabic learning program for residents about two years ago with teachers specialized in teaching Arabic as second language. The program, offered to meet the rising demand for programs for Arabic language learning by expatriate residents, has two courses that match the applicants' needs: Arabic for the purpose of daily communication and Arabic for special purposes, such as diplomatic, commercial, academic and cultural interaction. The basic components of Arabic learning, namely phonetics, vocabulary and grammar, are integrated into the courses. The first stage of the program for communication was launched through two training courses with significant success. The institute is still welcoming students to apply for the program. The next stages will be for special purposes. The program aims to introduce the enrolled students to the Saudi culture by teaching them the language through situations. Special situations will help the students better understand different aspects of Saudi culture.
