Umm Al-Qura University has launched a training program for nearly one hundred of its teaching assistants and lecturers nominated for external scholarships. This program will be carried out by the English Language Center in cooperation with the Department of Scholarships, during the period from 28 Safar to 5 Rabi` Al-Thani, 1443 A.H. It aims at providing the trainees with the skills required for the IELTS test and qualifying them to pass such international standard tests to fulfill the scholarship conditions.

The General Supervisor of the Scholarships Department, Dr. Ghassan Bati, pointed out that the program comes within a series of programs that target the teaching assistants and lectures who are nominated for external scholarships. It aims at qualifying them, promoting their performance in language, and making them acquire more skills to facilitate their acceptance by international prestigious universities, which have been recommended to them according to their grade and major.

On her part, the Director of the English Language Center, Dr. Sahar Al-Zahrani, pointed out that the center launched this program within a series of programs that were planned to become performance indicators for the English Language Center for the academic year 1443 A.H.

She added that the program was prepared and carried out by a group of well-versed trainers from the academic staff members at the center. She also indicated that the program will last for four weeks, with a total of 24 training hours. Each week focuses on mastering one of the English language skills.

On her part, the Deputy Director of the English Language Center, Dr. Nawal Al-Zahrani, said that the IELTS test is one of the most important tests in the world that measures the English language proficiency of international students applying to international universities. This is because IELTS depends on accurate evaluation criteria for the basic skills in English, which are listening, speaking, reading, and writing.