On the afternoon of June 1, 2026, Dr. Ali bin Khalifa al-Shamri, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts at Sohar University, Oman, and Dr. Sheikha al-Ma'amari, faculty member in charge of the Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language Program, visited Peking University and held a discussion with faculty members and students of the Department of Arabic and Cultures. Fu Zhiming, Vice Dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Peking University and Sultan Qaboos Chair Professor of Arabic Studies, and Lian Chaoqun, Deputy Head and Tenured Associate Professor of the Department of Arabic, attended the event. Undergraduate and postgraduate students from the department also took part in the exchange.

At the beginning of the discussion, Professor Fu Zhiming extended a warm welcome to Dr al-Shamri and Dr. al-Ma'amari. He introduced the history, development, and educational philosophy of the Department of Arabic at Peking University, and expressed his sincere hope for closer exchanges and cooperation with Sohar University. Dr al-Shamri thanked the Department of Arabic of Peking University for its gracious hospitality, and noted that he hoped this visit would strengthen exchanges between the two sides in Arabic language and culture teaching, academic research and other areas, and jointly promote mutual learning between Chinese and Omani civilizations as well as friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Subsequently, Dr. al-Shamri gave an overview of Sohar University and introduced the strengths and distinctive features of its Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language Program. He noted that Sohar University, founded in 2001, is Oman’s first private higher education institution. The university has built a solid academic foundation in fields such as education, law, and management, and enjoys a strong academic reputation in the Arab world. In the field of teaching Arabic as a foreign language, Sohar University has developed a well-structured and distinctive educational system. Supported by qualified faculty members and rich teaching resources, the program provides students with immersive language learning and cultural experiences through various forms of engagement, including site visits and language-partner exchanges. Dr. al-Shamri also emphasized the importance of language learning in promoting exchanges between China and the Arab world across various fields.

Following the presentation, faculty members and students of the Department of Arabic Language and Cultures engaged in lively exchanges with Dr. al-Shamri and Dr. al-Ma’amari on Sohar University’s academic structure, research areas, and disciplinary development in Arabic language and culture. At the end of the session, the two sides exchanged gifts and expressed their shared hope for strengthening exchanges between faculty members and students of the two institutions. The discussion concluded successfully in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Photo by Ma Kaituo

Text by Liu Qicheng

Translated by Gao Yanshu