Higher Education in the Arab World

The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) was first coined in 1956 by John McCarthy who is considered to be the father of AI. He defined AI as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines”. Since then, AI has metamorphosed into computing systems characterized by “human-like processes such as learning, adapting, synthesizing, self-correction and the use of data for complex processing tasks”.

Within the higher education landscape, AI is emerging as a powerful change agent often referred to as AI in Education (AIEd). Grasping the essence of AIEd within the higher education milieu is imperative. Commonly described as the advent of the ‘Smart University’, AIEd represents a paradigm shift in the operational ethos of Universities and Colleges.

Smart Universities in the context of AIEd are marked by several key characteristics. With regards to admissions and enrollment, AIEd tools can harness data on a plethora of metrics including recruitment, retention and graduation outcomes. Teaching and learning are now entering an era of personalization and adaptability, thanks to the facilitative role of AIEd instruments. These digital tools are instrumental in pin-pointing at-risk scholars, projecting academic trajectories, ensuring originality via plagiarism checks and guiding course selection.

Researchers are also benefiting from AIEd tools to sift through large data banks and analyze and identify patterns and insights that can inform their practice. Administrative spheres similarly reap the benefits of AIED’s prowess, yielding heightened efficiency in operations, financial stewardship and resource management—an endeavor that alleviates administrative load and, consequently, relocates fiscal resources towards educational and research priorities.

AIEd is also designed to optimize human resource processes from recruitment and onboarding to performance evaluation and career development. These systems use AI and digital tools to make human resource functions more efficient, data driven and employee focused.