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Zawya
17 hours ago
- Science
- Zawya
University of Dubai and AIJRF launch the first Arab initiative in academic research and AI technologies
The University of Dubai, in collaboration with the Artificial Intelligence Journalism for Research and Forecasting (AIJRF), has officially launched a groundbreaking Arab initiative titled 'Arab AI Researchers (AAIR)'. This is the first initiative of its kind in the region and comes as part of the Arab Index for Artificial Intelligence in Universities (AIU), which was first announced last year at the University of Dubai. A Regional Step Forward in Academic Innovation His Excellency Dr. Eesa Al Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai, emphasized that this initiative is aligned with the key recommendations announced at the conclusion of the 5th edition of the Artificial Intelligence Journalism World Forum (AIJWF), particularly those drawn from the inaugural report of the Arab Index for Artificial Intelligence in Universities (AIU). The findings underscored the urgent need to integrate AI tools and technologies into both Academic Research and teaching practices across Arab universities. Dr. Al Bastaki stated: 'The current initiative, 'Arab AI Researchers (AAIR),' aims to enhance the skills of Arab researchers and academics in embedding AI technologies and tools into teaching methods, curricula, and academic research. It promotes the optimal use of artificial intelligence in higher education across all academic levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate.' Fostering a Widespread Educational Transformation His Excellency Dr. Saeed Al Dhaheri, Director of the Center for Futures Studies at the University of Dubai and the president of the Arab Index for Artificial Intelligence in Universities (AIU), highlighted the importance of this initiative in reaching a wide audience of researchers. He noted that it offers a specialized training program to help integrate AI applications into both educational practices and academic research processes across all levels of study. A Specialized AI Training Program for Academia His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Abdulzaher, CEO of AIJRF, stressed the initiative's role in launching such a highly specialized training program. This program is designed to teach participants the fundamentals and applications of AI tools in both theoretical and applied research, while also enabling them to analyze research data using AI, yielding faster and more efficient outcomes. Dr. Abdulzaher added: 'The program will also introduce participants to innovative AI-based teaching approaches -from smart classroom practices and automated assignments to AI-generated project ideas- along with the ethical principles guiding the use of AI in education.' Initiative Objectives Enhance researchers' skills in using AI tools and applications in all areas of Academic Research, in an objective and academically sound manner. Integrate AI tools and technologies into the educational process within universities and educational institutions at all levels: undergraduate and postgraduate. Promote a new understanding of how to present ideas for studies, master's and doctoral thesis, and international publications when addressing AI tools and technologies. Empower Arab researchers and academics to use AI tools and technologies in scientific research, in accordance with international best practices. Empower Arab researchers and academics to integrate AI tools and technologies into scientific research using global best practices. Enhance the integration of AI in higher education by developing innovative teaching methods based on intelligent data analysis and interactive learning. Build a specialized Arab knowledge community focused on AI applications in education and research through knowledge exchange, workshops, and training programs. Provide Arabic-language resources and guidelines to support the effective incorporation of AI into university curricula, while considering local academic and cultural contexts. Promote Arab scientific research in the field of AI in education, and encourage the publication of academic work at both regional and international levels. Foster ethical and critical thinking in the use of AI in educational settings by raising awareness of the risks and challenges of emerging technologies. Develop strategic partnerships between universities, research centers, and institutions involved in technology and education to support digital academic transformation across the Arab world. Expected Outcomes Master the use of AI tools and applications in academic research. Utilize AI in data analysis to derive faster and more accurate conclusions. Embed AI into smart curricula and classroom strategies, including automated assignment creation, grading, and project development. Understand and apply the ethical principles of artificial intelligence. Acquire technical and cognitive skills necessary for AI application in academia. Systematically and effectively integrate AI into teaching methods and curricula. Design and develop AI-based academic research in line with global academic standards. Optimize AI usage in university education to improve quality and digital transformation. Prepare a new generation of Arab researchers capable of leading innovation in educational and technological institutions. Training Methodology and Tools 10 AI tools for research writing and scientific publishing 5 AI applications for classroom management 5 AI tools for managing student projects, assignments, and assessments Program Duration and Certification The training program is conducted three times annually Each round includes 150 participants The program spans 4 intensive days, totaling 15 practical training hours Participants who submit a final research or educational project will receive an accredited certificate from: Artificial Intelligence Journalism Foundation (AIJRF) University of Dubai Other participating universities About AIJRF Founded in 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Artificial Intelligence Journalism for Research and Forecasting (AIJRF) is the world's first global research organization dedicated to the study of media, artificial intelligence, content creation, media of Metaverse, the Fourth & Fifth Industrial Revolution, and humanities. It was established by a group of professors and academic researchers specializing in these fields. AIJRF leads over 20 international initiatives in artificial intelligence, including the Artificial Intelligence Journalism World Forum (AIJWF), the Global Artificial Intelligence Journalism Index (GAIJI), the Arab Artificial Intelligence Index in Universities (AIU), the AI Skills Camp for Students, AI Skills Challenge for University undergraduates and the Arab AI Researchers (AAIR) initiative. AIJRF offers more than 120 training programs, including a professional diploma in: content creation and artificial intelligence, AI technologies and smart government services, AI and media industries, media of Metaverse, and AI in education, among more than 20 specialized training tracks. These programs aim to integrate AI tools and solutions into key professional and educational sectors. In 2021, AIJRF has published the world's first ethical and professional guide for AI-powered content creation, titled: The Artificial Intelligence Journalism and Professional Code of Ethics. In 2024, it released the second edition under the title: The Artificial Intelligence Journalism Professional Ethics and Codes of Conduct (AIJEC).
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
25-kg weed, diamonds worth ₹1.6 crore seized from smugglers at CSMI Airport
Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) on Wednesday seized 24.96 kilograms of hydroponic weed and arrested three persons from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The substance was allegedly being smuggled into India from Thailand. In a separate case, the AIU seized Saudi Riyals and diamonds totalling ₹1.71 crore from a passenger departing to Dubai and arrested him. The four arrested are in judicial custody. The AIU, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a couple arriving from Bangkok and seized 24.96 kilograms of hydroponic weed worth ₹24.66 crore from their luggage. The couple revealed the identity of a dealer who was waiting outside the airport to collect the consignment. Subsequently, the dealer was arrested. During interrogation, he revealed that he was a resident of Bhayender and that he was merely working on instructions. The three accused, booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, are remanded in judicial custody. The accused are allegedly a part of an international drug trafficking syndicate. The police said they are investigating the case. In the second case, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted a passenger departing for Dubai on Tuesday and seized 50,000 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to ₹11.14 lakh, 406.90 grams of lab-grown diamonds worth ₹47.22 lakh, and 245.3 grams of natural diamonds worth ₹1.24 crore. The seized material is worth a total of ₹1.71 crore. Subsequently, the passenger was arrested.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Mumbai: Rs 25 crore worth of hydrohonic weed seized at airport; 3 arrested
NEW DELHI: The customs officials at Mumbai international airport seized hydrohonic weed of worth nearly Rs 25 crore on Thursday. Three people have been arrested by the officials. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hydroponic weed refers to cannabis that is grown without soil, using a nutrient-rich water solution to deliver essential minerals directly to the plant roots. Last month, Air intelligence unit (AIU) officers with the customs department seized 5.25kg of hydroponic weed (ganja) worth Rs 5 crore from a passenger at the Coimbatore airport and arrested a 24-year-old native of Kerala for smuggling the same into the country from Bangkok in Thailand. Trichy Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate on Thursday posted a message on its X handle, stating the AIU officers, in coordination with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, nabbed Muhammad Fazil, 24, of Villiappally in Kozhikode district in Kerala, at the Coimbatore airport around 11.30pm on Wednesday with more than 5kg hydroponic ganja based on intelligence inputs from the Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management in Delhi. He arrived at the airport from Bangkok via Singapore by Scoot Airlines. Unlike regular ganja, hydroponic ganja is cultivated in a controlled atmosphere and is highly potent. Cocktail varieties are known for their different flavours and effects on smokers and were not easily available in India. Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Chennai zone's Director P Aravindhan said, "The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in hydroponic ganja is 30% compared to 3% found in regular ganja smuggled from Andhra Pradesh. It is this content that makes it as potent as cocaine and drives those consuming it to become addictive." However, NCB has not come across the prevalence of hydroponic ganja consumption unlike synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Customs officials arrest Gujarat couple and Bhayander woman with drugs worth Rs 25 crore at Mumbai airport
Mumbai: Customs officials at the city airport on Tuesday arrested a Gujarat couple and a Bhayander-based woman for allegedly smuggling 25kg of hydroponic weed or marijuana worth Rs 25 crore from Hong Kong. On specific intelligence, officials of the Air Intelligence Unit intercepted Surat residents Mohammed and his wife Tabassum Shaikh on their arrival from Hong Kong. Physical examination of their baggage resulted in the recovery of 13 vacuum plastic packets containing a lumpy green substance. The officials used a field testing kit to conduct an on-the-spot test and the results were positive for marijuana. The Shaikhs were arrested. During interrogation, they admitted that the packets were to be handed over to Alfiyah Rampurawala who was waiting at the exit gate of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. AIU officials apprehended Rampurawala, who revealed that she was to hand over the drugs to Abu Bakar and Nasir Bhai. The duo had provided her Shaikhs photographs and mobile numbers. All three arrested accused were booked under the NDPS Act. Officials are now looking for Bakar and Nasir.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Chennai customs bust hydroponic ganja racket
Chennai: The arrest of two mules in recent weeks has seen the Chennai airport customs bust a reinvented modus operandi of drug smugglers using Sri Lanka as a transit point to bring in high-potent ganja varieties into the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Tuesday, the air intelligence unit (AIU) team, based on intelligence, intercepted a man who arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, via Colombo. When his checked-in baggage was examined, the AIU team found some suspicious looking food packets emitting a strong odour. Six such transparent packets containing green flowering and fruiting tops, weighing 2.8kg, were seized. Testing of the samples using the field drug testing kit confirmed that it was marijuana. It was seized under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Interrogation revealed that the flyer was promised 1.2 lakh if he delivered the contraband in Bengaluru. He had planned to reach Bengaluru by road if not caught at Chennai airport. While he was remanded in judicial custody on Thursday, customs sleuths said the six kg hydroponic ganja seized on May 16 was also smuggled from Thailand via Colombo. The contraband was hidden within 13 sealed packets disguised as 'Ritz toasted chips and multigrain tortilla chips'. Officials suspect that the smugglers might have used Sri Lanka as a transit point to reach Chennai to avoid suspicion since suspected flyers arriving from Bangkok undergo rigorous checking by customs at Chennai airport. "Smugglers bringing drugs via Sri Lanka is not new, but now they have changed the modus operandi since vigilance is tight at Chennai airport," said sources. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Customs sleuths also said that in both incidents, the final destination of the drug was Bengaluru, not Chennai, and they are investigating if the same gang is behind both incidents. Meanwhile, customs sleuths arrested an Indian male passenger who arrived from Thailand on Thursday in possession of 2.4 kg hydroponic weed wrapped in silver foils. The passenger was arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Chennai customs also made another seizure of 1 kg hydroponic ganja that was couriered from Thailand on June 3. Customs officers at the Postal Appraising Department (PAD) checked a package after suspicious results from X-ray scanning and discovered two packets of hydroponic weed, weighing a total of 1.022kg.
