First Arab index for artificial intelligence in universities

An Arab Index for Artificial Intelligence in Universities (AIU) has been launched to monitor and analyse the development of artificial intelligence technologies within Arab universities and to support Arab region higher education institutions to integrate generative AI tools and technologies into their work.

The AIU, announced at a press conference on 6 May, is managed by the University of Dubai and the Artificial Intelligence Journalism for Research and Forecasting (AIJRF) – a United Arab Emirates think-tank involving professors and researchers specialising in AI and the future.

Dr Eesa Mohammed Al Bastaki, president of the University of Dubai, said at the launch that the Arab AI index would promote and support the integration of AI technologies in higher education, Gulf News reported.

“University education in the Arab region is witnessing great developments, both in terms of the number of universities [and] the number of graduates annually, so our universities must be compatible with advanced technology tools and solutions and artificial intelligence. In the UAE we have great models in this regard, that is why we contributed to launching the Arab Index for Artificial Intelligence in Universities,” Bastaki is quoted as saying.

First such Arab regional index

The AIU is the first regional index measuring AI capabilities within Arab universities.

However, the QS World University Rankings by Subject: Data science and artificial Intelligence and other global indexes include universities in the 22 Arab region countries.

And there are several AI indexes that measure AI capabilities for countries, not universities, including the Global AI Index ( GAII ), the AI Readiness Index (AIRI) and Stanford University’s AI index (AII ).

GAII is the first index to benchmark nations on their levels of AI investment, innovation and implementation. The 2023 GAII includes only six Arab countries, namely the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain.

AIRI is produced by global consulting firm Oxford Insights and the International Development Research Centre, and measures governments’ willingness to use AI technologies by assessing AI governance, infrastructure and data management, skills and education, and government and public services. The 2023 AIRI includes 17 Arab countries.

The 2024 Stanford AI index report says it measures and evaluates “the rapid rate of AI advancement, from research and development to technical performance and ethics, the economy and education, AI policy and governance, diversity, public opinion and more”.

The Arab Index for AI in Universities

The Arab Index for Artificial Intelligence in Universities will focus on measuring the state of Arab universities in the applied field of AI techniques, as well as supporting AI applications in the Arabic language and integrating them into the educational process, and spreading and enhancing the dissemination of an AI culture among Arab universities.

The AIU will also make recommendations and provide technical and professional support for Arab universities on integrating AI tools and solutions into all their activities, including educational curricula, training and developing the skills of the academic team.

The index features six main indicators. These include: educational curricula and their relationship to AI and its use; university professors and the skills of universities in using AI techniques in education; the availability of smart laboratories; student AI skills; and a research index. There are 18 sub-indices.

For instance, the indicators include the nature of the skills students acquire by integrating AI techniques and tools into curricula, and the extent of their awareness of those tools and their uses in the educational process.

AI scientific productivity in international peer-reviewed journals, under the name of the university and in the field of education and AI in general, will be measured, as well as levels of global partnerships between Arab universities and some of the global institutions in the AI field including universities, research centres, manufacturers and technology pioneers.

AI for sustainable development

Samir Khalaf Abd-El-Aal, a research professor at the National Research Center in Cairo, Egypt, told University World News: “The AI index will help in assessing AI readiness of Arab universities as well as identifying gaps in their AI teaching, research and community services capabilities, along with detecting best practices that could be used for its upgrading and promoting regional cooperation among Arab universities.”

The Arab AI Index must join forces with similar organisations, said Abd-El-Aal, including the MENA AI Observatory, the African Observatory on Responsible Artificial Intelligence, the Observatory of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education and the Artificial Intelligence Observatory.

“The AI Arab index must use regional criteria and indicators, for our own benefit. We need to measure ourselves, under our own conditions and our developmental plans, rather than have those outside measure us,” Abd-El-Aal stressed.

“Assessment of the safe and ethical use of AI at Arab universities must also be included among the indicators of the Arab AI Index, along with whether they have put in place AI ethical charters that academic communities must adhere to when dealing with AI applications in various aspects of the educational process, including research as well as teaching and learning.

“This will help in promoting AI for achieving sustainable development,” said Abd-El-Aal. He cited a 2023 article titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Sustainable Development Goals: An exploratory study in the context of the society domain”, that noted how the responsible, safe and ethical usage of AI can contribute positively to achieving the United Nations’ 17 goals that aim to reduce poverty, protect the environment and ensure prosperity for all.

Expanding further, Bouraoui Seyfallah, a professor of AI at the University of Science and Technology in Houari Boumediene, Algeria, told University World News: “This pan-Arab AI index will help in enhancing the visibility of the Arab university.

“I suggest adding patents to its indicators, to promote AI inventions, especially in university circles,” said Seyfallah. “It should be seen as an asset for all Arab universities and not local property controlled by the institutions managing it.”

AI Arab index: A double-edged swords

Professor Atta-ur-Rahman, a UNESCO Science Prize laureate and former coordinator general of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – which includes the 22 Arab states – told University World News: “The introduction of an AI index could have a positive effect in promoting AI in Arab universities, by the competitive environment that it creates.

“Some advantages include benchmarking excellence, as the AI index will offer a comparative measure of Arab universities, allowing students, researchers and policymakers to identify institutions known for academic excellence,” Atta-ur-Rahman said.

“This can help students make informed decisions about where to study, along with promoting cooperation among Arab universities.

“As the AI Arab index considers factors like faculty qualifications and research output, it provides an indirect assessment of the quality of education and research at a particular institution. This can encourage universities to maintain or improve their standards,” pointed out Atta-ur-Rahman, who is also a former federal minister of education in Pakistan.

“The AI Arab index can enhance a university’s regional recognition and reputation, attracting talented students, faculty and research collaborations from around the Arab countries and the world. This can contribute to a diverse academic environment and foster cross-cultural exchange.

Further, Atta-ur-Rahman added: “The Arab AI index might enhance funding opportunities as universities may have better access to funding, both from public and private sources, due to their perceived prestige and impact. This can enable them to invest in cutting-edge research facilities, scholarships and infrastructure.”

Also, Arab universities could use the AI index as a tool for strategic planning and improvement. “The AI index will provide transparent criteria and methodologies for evaluating AI research standards in universities, fostering accountability and encouraging institutions to be more transparent about their performance and achievements.”

There are also disadvantages, Atta-ur-Rahman told University World News.

“The AI index has a narrow focus as it emphasises AI research and teaching capabilities, neglecting other important aspects of higher education such as teaching quality, student satisfaction and community engagement. This can lead to a skewed perception of a university’s overall value,” Atta-ur-Rahman said.

“The AI Arab index uses complex methodologies that may not accurately capture the diverse missions and strengths of universities, leading to oversimplification and distortion of the comparative picture. Flaws in data collection and weighting can undermine the validity and reliability of rankings,” he concluded.