Launch of ATHAR: AUC’s Teacher Hub for Advancement and Reflection
The future of education in the Arab world relies on the region’s teachers. In recognition of this, AUC launched ATHAR: AUC’s Teacher Hub for Advancement and Reflection last month in an effort to invest in the region’s education system by empowering educators and engaging them in reflective and thought-provoking activities targeting their daily challenges.
ATHAR is a new open-access platform that provides free, self-paced online courses in Arabic to help current and prospective teachers in all subject areas take part in advancing the future of education in Egypt and the region.
"ATHAR is a transformative initiative to help Egypt's educators adopt innovative teaching strategies and tools," said Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman. "This program goes beyond professional growth. It’s a bridge to lasting social change, equipping teachers to make a sustainable impact on education both locally and globally. I am thrilled to see my idea to establish ATHAR finally come to fruition after several years of effort.”
The program is fully accessible, culturally tailored and offered in colloquial Arabic. “ATHAR fills a need in society,” said Hoda Mostafa, director of the Center for Learning and Teaching and ATHAR development team lead. “We know that teachers are looking for accessible, high-quality opportunities for professional development.”
"This program goes beyond professional growth. It’s a bridge to lasting social change, equipping teachers to make a sustainable impact on education both locally and globally."
ATHAR helps educators advance their classrooms and communities by equipping them to navigate four key areas: learning-oriented assessment, learning difficulties, educational technology and managing large classrooms. Learners will receive digital badges of achievement, practical tools and networking opportunities within the community of teachers in the region.
“ATHAR is yet another initiative by AUC to contribute to the development of the community by providing impactful lifelong learning opportunities," said Mahmoud Allam, dean of the School of Continuing Education, which is implementing the program. "We hope it will empower teachers to offer improved learning experiences for millions of students in Egypt’s public schools.”
"ATHAR fills a need in society. We know that teachers are looking for accessible, high-quality opportunities for professional development."
Reinforcing the program’s potential impact and value, Heba El-Deghaidy, associate professor of science education and program design lead, said, “I see ATHAR igniting a ripple effect of positive transformation across Egypt’s education system. Its impact extends beyond individual classrooms as teachers engaged in ATHAR can influence their students, colleagues and even education policy."
The program is rooted in national and international policy frameworks, designed with input from subject-matter experts and based on global standards of instructional design, evidence-driven research and focus group discussions with teachers –– providing a purposeful, integrated learner-centered experience.
“I see ATHAR igniting a ripple effect of positive transformation across Egypt’s education system."
“The program complies with global standards, but it is not a program that we’re importing to Egypt. We’re developing it for Egypt and the Arab region,” said Mostafa, adding that additional courses are planned for release in the future. “These offerings will explore four themes in an integrated manner and build upon the foundation established by the initial four courses.
ATHAR follows AUC Road to College as the latest addition to AUC’s OpenLearn online platform developed by the Department of Applied Linguistics and Educational Studies, Center for Learning and Teaching and the digital transformation team at the University.
“The program’s acronym, meaning ‘impact’ in Arabic, indicates its core mission and value as teachers leave enduring, long-lasting, positive footprints in the lives of their students and peers,” said El-Deghaidy. “Through its comprehensive design, ATHAR scaffolds the learning journey for educators, providing an opportunity for expanded growth where every teacher’s success inspires another.”
Find out how to register here.
