Kuwait University: Pioneers in Applying AI in Higher Education - Sarmad
Deputy Director of Kuwait University confirms the university's lead in applying AI and learning governance at a UNESCO conference in Doha.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
The Assistant Professor Dr. Abdullah Al-Mutawa, Deputy Director of Kuwait University for Supporting Academic Services, stated on Tuesday that “Kuwait University is among the pioneering universities in applying artificial intelligence in higher education.”
This remark came during Dr. Al-Mutawa’s participation in a dialogue seminar titled “Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education,” held as part of the fifth UNESCO Conference on Higher Education in Arab Countries, which kicked off yesterday in Doha on Monday.
Dr. Al-Mutawa emphasized that “the real transformation lies not in the tool itself, but in the governance of learning,” noting that “Kuwait University is among the leading institutions in this field, having adopted a university-wide generative artificial intelligence regulation in November 2024.”
He clarified that the regulation did not ban such tools but rather established guidelines for their use in courses, requiring students to disclose the tools and prompts they employed, ensuring that artificial intelligence remains a supportive aid in scientific research, with its use declared and its outputs reviewed.
He further explained that “the university began by establishing governance and preparing faculty members before adopting these tools, then provided 4,500 generative AI (Gemini) licenses and AI agents for students and faculty members,” stressing that “universities foster innovation through regulation, not prohibition, as disclosure reinforces academic integrity.”
He noted that Kuwait University chairs a committee, mandated by the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), along with four other Gulf universities, to draft a unified Gulf policy for the use of artificial intelligence in higher education and scientific research.
Regarding the gap between AI tools and education in the region, Dr. Al-Mutawa said it stems from outdated curricula and assessment methods, as most models used are foreign and closed. This necessitates developing a local language model in the region that understands the local language and educational context, while ensuring that student and researcher data remain under the control of local institutions.
He also called for redesigning assessment models that focus on process and critical thinking, and for preparing faculty members before expanding the use of tools and sharing rules and models at the regional level.
The fifth UNESCO Conference on Higher Education in Arab Countries began yesterday in Doha under the theme “The New Landscape of Learning in Higher Education in Arab Countries.” The two-day event is organized by the Qatar Ministry of Education and Higher Education in collaboration with UNESCO and the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.
The conference brings together a distinguished group of academics, experts, policymakers, university representatives, and delegates from regional and international organizations to discuss the major transformations and challenges facing the higher education sector and to envision its future beyond 2030, thereby enhancing the quality of education, scientific research, and innovation, and supporting the development of policies and academic practices.
