Top-performing candidates in the International Certificate of Proficiency in Arabic (CIMA) exam to be honoured at ceremony by Centre and Institut du Monde Arabe

The top-achieving students of the International Certificate of Proficiency in Arabic (CIMA) are to be honoured for their excellence in the language at an award ceremony.

The CIMA certificate – organised as a partnership between the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and the Paris-based Institute du Monde Arabe (IMA) –  is the first recognised certification to assess proficiency in modern standard Arabic.

The announcement was made at an event held at the headquarters of the Alliance Française Abu Dhabi, in the presence of His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Adviser to the President of the UAE and the Chancellor of UAE University; H.E. Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC; Mr. Antoine Delcourt, Belgian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates; Mr. Sultan Al Hajji, President of the Alliance Française Abu Dhabi; Mr. Hugo Henry Ceylan, French Cultural Advisor; Mr. Saeed Al Tunaiji, Acting Executive Director of ALC and Mr. Franck Trouilloud, Director of Alliance Française.

The exam targets who want to measure their language proficiency, whether to apply for a job, study or to know their level of competency. The certificates are granted after candidates undergo an academic test of their Arabic language skills.

Tests are held by the Alliance Française, which oversees the testing centres for the CIMA certificate in the UAE, with the certificates being valid for three years. The ALC  will soon honour the top performers in the exam at a ceremony in its headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

His Excellency Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said:  "The CIMA examination is one of the most important joint projects between the ALC and the IMA, with both organisations dedicated to supporting Arabic reading and writing among non-native speakers, while promoting its use as a global language of culture, communication, science and creativity. Today we celebrate the achievement of a distinguished group of candidates from various disciplines with a CIMA certificate, which confirms Arabic’s great importance among the languages ​​of the world."

HE Dr. Bin Tamin said the IMA was the ideal partner to support the ALC’s efforts in promoting the Arabic language globally, encouraging its use in France and Europe and highlighting its essential contribution to global culture.

Within the framework of the agreement between the ALC and IMA, Alliance Française will promote the exam, record the number of annual applicants and their proficiency levels, and share information regarding key performance indicators.

The ALC and IMA will also organise joint events in conjunction with international organisations to endorse the Arabic language, as well as extend cooperation on exchanging expertise by taking part in conferences, collaborating on publications and programmes, and organising cultural events. The two parties also agreed on a joint action plan to issue reports about the Arabic language and its use throughout Europe.

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