SOHARA is an institute of Arabic language and culture founded by scholars of Arab culture, history, and society. Through our intensive Arabic program, we offer outstanding instruction at all levels for students seeking to learn Arabic in Morocco. The Institute also acts as a hub of intellectual and cultural events, bringing together scholars, artists, and specialists across a broad range of expertise and disciplines, for seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and informal conversation. The Institute is housed in a historic villa and gardens lying in the heart of the Rainbow Street cultural district of Rabat. From this inspiring setting, we host students of the Arabic language, post-graduates working on the Middle East, researchers, artists, and the local intellectual community in Morocco and North Africa. Surrounded by some of the oldest buildings in Rabat, our students learn ‘Arabic in context’, benefiting from first-rate language instruction in line with the latest pedagogy, as well as cultural and historical literacy. Immersion is reinforced by our location in a pedestrian neighborhood packed with local galleries, restaurants, and cafés, and with residents of all ages and walks of life. Courses are enriched by a full calendar of events that take place at the Institute, providing students with the unique opportunity to interact with creative figures from the Arab world and beyond. Our curriculum was carefully designed and closely overseen by advisors with extensive experience in Arabic instruction at the national and international. Qualified and approachable, our instructors craft personalized supervision in a friendly, open, and rigorous intellectual environment, ensuring students benefit from each class.
The last two decades has seen an increasing demand from speakers of other languages to learn Arabic for a variety of reasons, including enhancing awareness of Arab culture and its rich heritage, or for purposes where the language is used in political, economic or other professional arenas. Morocco is able to attract potential students of Arabic due to its reputation as a politically stable and secure country. It is an ideal place in which to establish an institute to teach to non-native speakers and meet their needs in the language’s own environment. SOHARA Language Institute aims to become a distinguished national and a regional center for the instruction of Arabic and content courses. Teaching will focus on four main skills — listening, speaking, reading and writing — as well as on grammar and orthography. The institute will also contribute to the teaching of Arabic to academic, diplomatic, military, medical and media specialists, among others, who reside in the Morocco or in other countries.
OUR MISSION:
The institute aims to serve the Arabic language and excel in its teaching through the introduction of linguistic and cognitive skills that strengthen cultural links between nations through modern and professional educational programs that meet the needs of non-Arabic speakers and enable them to achieve their goals. It also seeks to represent Arab culture in a positive way.
At SOHARA Institute for Arabic Studies, we have made Arab-Western cultural understanding our mission. We believe that learning the Arabic language in its cultural context is a crucial element in building a bridge of understanding and appreciation between the East and the West cultures. We also believe that one of the best ways to learn a language effectively is total language immersion. Living the language in its Arabic cultural ambience, through state-of-the-art proficiency-based material and cutting-edge teaching methods, is the learner’s fastest way of mastering the functional skills of Arabic. Striving to make international students and expatriates feel at home in this very rich Arabic atmosphere, is our way to reaching our goal.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy of Arabic language teaching views any language in its cultural context and as an indispensable foundation that provides meaning and necessitates communication. We seek language teaching that brings about understanding and appreciation of the other and that bridges the Arab and Western, as well as, the other world cultures. Our strong belief in this philosophy has led us to focus on empowering our students to use language proficiently within its cultural context. Only by fully embracing the Arab culture one can master its language and reach a true understanding of its political, economic and historic depth. Our teaching thus aims at providing meaningful insight into and access to Arabic authentic materials. It also facilitates direct exposure to different facets of the Egyptian and Arab culture through a wide variety of activities inside and outside the classroom. At SOHARA Institute of Arabic Studies, we are also aware that your emotional memory as a student helps you retain any knowledge you acquire. The institute has a real Arab atmosphere and ambiance that re-enforces your Arabic experience.
