Saudi Arabia has officially registered the "Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences" in the Maldives.

Notably, this represents Saudi Arabia’s first institute of its kind in South Asia.

This initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader strategic efforts to promote the Arabic language on a global scale, following the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

In pursuit of this objective, King Salman had instructed the relevant authorities to establish an Arabic language teaching centre in the Maldives, designating Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University to oversee its implementation.

A formal meeting was convened at the Maldives’ Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development to finalise the registration of the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences.

The meeting was attended by Dr Abdulla Nazeer, Minister of State for Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Mr Saleh bin Sulaiman Alarajah, and several senior officials from both the Ministry and the Institute.

A statement issued by the university acknowledged the support extended by Saudi Education Minister Yusuf Bin Abdulla Al Bunyan in facilitating Arabic language education in Muslim-majority countries where Arabic is not the primary language.

The President of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University emphasised that the establishment of the institute would play a pivotal role in reinforcing academic, cultural, and diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and the Maldives while fostering greater international collaboration.

The newly registered institute is expected to significantly enhance educational opportunities in Islamic and Arabic studies within the Maldives, thereby contributing to the cultural and linguistic exchange between the two nations.