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Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
How should journalism respond to rise of AI?
Tribune News Network Doha Journalism is anything but immune to the advance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). And in a world where 'fake news' and 'post-truth' have become almost everyday terms, questions arise about the implications for human knowledge that a reliance on AI for information, especially among young people, could create. So if people increasingly rely on AI in the pursuit of knowledge, without conducting their own analysis and applying their own critical mind, what could the consequences be – and how can they be avoided or managed? AI includes a diverse range of technologies that can be defined as 'self-learning, adaptive systems.' It can be categorised based on technologies, purposes (like facial or image recognition), functions (such as language understanding and problem-solving), or types of agents (including robots and self-driving cars). It also includes methods and disciplines such as vision, speech recognition, and robotics, and can enhance traditional human capabilities. Recent progress in the field of AI has been driven by advancements in computer processing power and data techniques. However, the irresponsible use of AI may lead to serious consequences that negatively impact individuals and communities. This is where the role of journalists becomes crucial – independently and truthfully monitoring, investigating, and reporting on the issues that shape global society, while exposing the misuse of AI to create false narratives, and raising awareness of these among the public. This is a key responsibility of journalism in the digital age, especially as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently warned of the risks associated with AI on World Press Freedom Day saying it can be 'used to spread false or misleading information, increase online hate speech, and support new forms of censorship. Some actors also use AI for mass surveillance of journalists and citizens, creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression.' Against this backdrop, Dr. Marc Owen Jones, assistant professor of Media Analysis at Northwestern University in Qatar – a QF partner university that offers programs in communications and journalism – believes we are in the early stages of what he describes as the influence of 'blind epistemic power,' where AI threatens to flood the digital knowledge ecosystem with misleading information. 'The massive scale and speed of content production through AI technologies pose a threat to human knowledge in favor of machine-generated knowledge, which does not necessarily aim to enhance awareness, but rather to exploit platform algorithms for other purposes,' he says. 'This creates a kind of noise in the information landscape. It affects the intellectual system and gradually weakens the public's ability to distinguish between trustworthy journalism and low-quality content designed to attract and manipulate audiences. 'AI may undermine the cognitive infrastructure necessary for critical thinking, human memory, and logical debate. While the long-term intellectual consequences are not inevitable, the current trajectory raises concerns about a profound transformation.' However, Dr. Jones also emphasizes that AI offers significant opportunities, such as analyzing vast amounts of data and overcoming language barriers; for example, journalists from India to Latin America are using language models to investigate corruption, track organized crime, and uncover algorithmic bias. 'Journalists must move beyond the role of passive users of technology and become active players,' he said. 'This requires supporting independent journalism, enacting appropriate legislation related to AI, and adopting a culture of AI literacy in newsrooms – while reinforcing the role of the human element and upholding ethical responsibility. Hessa Al Thani, a graduate of Northwestern University in Qatar, shared her experience of the impact of AI in spreading misinformation, saying: 'I saw a deepfake video of a political figure that looked very real – I didn't realize it was fake until later. 'In this era, AI-generated content is everywhere, and it's incredibly easy to fall into its trap. That's the primary goal: to mimic humans and blur the line between what's real and what's fake.' She acknowledges the creative potential AI holds in the context of journalism, in areas such as gathering information, drafting questions and emails, and editing text, but says. 'Our core strength as journalists lies in our ability to tell stories. When this ability is handed over to a machine, the stories become hollow, sometimes unethical, and biased – especially as this technology continues to be developed in the West.'
Mid East Info
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mid East Info
Panel Session Titled: 'Redefining University Leadership for the Future' Held as Part of the Sixth Conference of University Presidents in the Islamic World
As part of the Sixth Conference of University Presidents, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ICESCO in Rabat, H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), chaired a high-level panel session titled: 'Redefining University Leadership for the Future', with the participation of a distinguished group of university presidents from various member states of the Islamic World Organization. The session focused on discussing the fundamental transformations which are reshaping higher education globally, and the evolving role that university leadership must adopt in response to rapid changes related to technology, artificial intelligence, flexible education, and the shifting nature of the labor market. In his opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar emphasized that: 'University leadership is no longer confined to traditional academic management. It has become a forward-looking responsibility that demands innovative thinking, the ability to build partnerships, and the foresight to anticipate change, in order to ensure the sustainability and impact of universities in serving humanity and society.' The session addressed three key themes: The transformation of the university president's role from academic leadership to proactive, system-oriented leadership. Effective partnerships and governance as tools to strengthen trust and community impact. Designing new leadership models built on flexibility, collaboration, and future-oriented outcomes. The session witnessed dynamic engagement from participants, who underscored the need to prepare a new generation of university leaders equipped with innovation tools and change-making abilities, without compromising the core values of education and scientific research. The session concluded with a clear call to develop a new leadership model in Islamic universities—one that balances academic excellence with institutional agility and lays the foundation for a renewed social contract between the university and society.
Web Release
4 days ago
- Politics
- Web Release
Panel Session Titled: 'Redefining University Leadership for the Future' Held as Part of the Sixth Conference of University Presidents in the Islamic World
Panel Session Titled: 'Redefining University Leadership for the Future' Held as Part of the Sixth Conference of University Presidents in the Islamic World As part of the Sixth Conference of University Presidents, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat, H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), chaired a high-level panel session titled: 'Redefining University Leadership for the Future', with the participation of a distinguished group of university presidents from various member states of the Islamic World Organization. The session focused on discussing the fundamental transformations which are reshaping higher education globally, and the evolving role that university leadership must adopt in response to rapid changes related to technology, artificial intelligence, flexible education, and the shifting nature of the labor market. In his opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar emphasized that: 'University leadership is no longer confined to traditional academic management. It has become a forward-looking responsibility that demands innovative thinking, the ability to build partnerships, and the foresight to anticipate change, in order to ensure the sustainability and impact of universities in serving humanity and society.' The session addressed three key themes: 1. The transformation of the university president's role from academic leadership to proactive, system-oriented leadership. 2. Effective partnerships and governance as tools to strengthen trust and community impact. 3. Designing new leadership models built on flexibility, collaboration, and future-oriented outcomes. The session witnessed dynamic engagement from participants, who underscored the need to prepare a new generation of university leaders equipped with innovation tools and change-making abilities, without compromising the core values of education and scientific research. The session concluded with a clear call to develop a new leadership model in Islamic universities—one that balances academic excellence with institutional agility and lays the foundation for a renewed social contract between the university and society.
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
An advocate's dive into the future of underwater archaeology
Last week, from June 16-20, I had the privilege of attending a series of meetings about underwater cultural heritage and climate change at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris. This opportunity arose after a meeting in Kuwait with Dr. Robert Parthesius, founder of the Centre for International Heritage Activities (CIE) in the Netherlands, who invited me to join the CIE delegation in Paris as a researcher of maritime and underwater cultural heritage. A former professor of heritage and museum studies at New York University Abu Dhabi, Dr. Parthesius' Amsterdam-based organization is one of approximately twenty non-governmental organizations (NGOs) accredited by UNESCO to directly facilitate the development of underwater archaeology at the national, regional, and international levels. As I am currently undertaking postgraduate research and directing a documentary film about the connections between Kuwait's maritime and underwater cultural heritage and various sectors of Kuwait's economy, the opportunity to join the CIE team in Paris could not be missed. 2001 Convention UNESCO's 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage is a landmark convention that aims to guide governments, NGOs, heritage professionals, and all those interested in preserving, protecting, managing, and conserving some of the most vulnerable forms and aspects of tangible cultural heritage. Abbreviated as 'UCH,' underwater cultural heritage spans many millennia. It encompasses material cultural remains from the prehistoric to the modern era, including human settlements, transport vessels, and cargoes carried by those vessels. It refers to all artifacts, structures, and man-made formations situated in marine environments or inland waterways that have been in place for over 100 years, whether partially or wholly, and whether temporarily or permanently underwater. Fortunately, Kuwait is one of the many Arab countries that are a State Party to the 2001 Convention The Meeting of States Parties to the Convention The Meeting of States Parties to the 2001 Convention takes place every two years, and the 2025 edition, which commenced on June 16, marked the tenth session. Representatives from across the Arab world were in attendance, including those from Gulf countries such as Oman and Qatar, as well as North African countries like Tunisia and Libya. Having the chance to network with like-minded archaeologists and heritage managers, exchange news, and share ideas about the situation of underwater archaeology in the Arab region was invaluable. Regarding the Gulf region, it also sparked conversation about how researchers and authorities in the Gulf Arab states might develop a network for cross-border knowledge exchange, particularly concerning the surveying, documentation, and safeguarding of underwater archaeology in the Gulf. At the same time, it was acknowledged that the more expansive Indian Ocean serves as an essential framework for discussion between archaeologists and heritage managers from the GCC and their counterparts in coastal India, Pakistan, and East Africa – places where Gulf Arabs journeyed, conducted trade, and interacted socially, culturally, and politically for centuries. Such a discussion aligns perfectly with the perspective of the Centre for International Heritage Activities, which aims to better understand the impact of heritage practices across interconnected maritime geographies and to foster knowledge exchange that leads to more inclusive cultural futures. The programme The programming and events hosted by UNESCO from June 16 to 20 began with two days of official meetings of the States Parties, during which various protocols were observed, amendments to articles were drafted and debated, and progress reports were delivered. This was followed by a day-long session of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body (or 'STAB') – which provides advice in scientific and technical matters while also contributing 'to capacity building, to the development of national action plans, and to guiding States Parties in the implementation process' (UNESCO 2025). An essential indicator of the direction that future strategies appear poised to adopt was that the Secretariat intensified work on climate change and UCH, prioritizing awareness. Along these lines, major scientific conferences are planned for 2025 to foster interdisciplinary cooperation and promote heritage-based climate resilience. Five takeaways from 5 days at UNESCO Any attempt to summarize the numerous presentations, panels, and interactive activities that took place at the UNESCO headquarters from June 16 to 20 is bound to fall short in one way or another. However, the following five subject areas were especially compelling for those interested in addressing the challenges facing UCH through mechanisms such as educational programs, cooperative networks, and policy- oriented approaches. 1. Climate crisis The underwater archaeology community has been slow to integrate climate change science and related modeling into its research, with an overemphasis on discussing the 'impacts' of climate change rather than taking proactive steps to mitigate its ongoing effects. Professor Colin Breen (University of Ulster) was particularly critical of the pace of progress within the field. Breen expressed frustration about the percentage of UCH under threat from coastal development – a situation which Gulf countries have been prone to for many years. The sense of urgency Dr. Breen conveyed was palpable, and he implored delegates to start integrating into other frameworks as a 'moral duty'. 2. Cross-sector cooperation Echoing calls for cross-sectoral collaboration, a key takeaway from Dr. Emad Khalil's presentation, the UNESCO Chair on Underwater Cultural Heritage, was that archaeologists should pursue cooperation with the armed forces and oil and gas companies that have jurisdiction in the marine domain being researched. Citing offshore sonar surveys conducted by Oman's navy in Qalhat, Khalil encouraged other maritime archaeologists to adopt similar strategies to advance underwater archaeological research in their territorial waters. South Africa's delegate advocated for integrating heritage policies into Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), as issues of heritage were often absent from such discussions. 3. Education and training Kalliopi Baika, an underwater archaeologist from Greece, emphasized the importance of education in her presentation, citing the two-year Master's program in Maritime and Coastal Archaeology at Aix-Marseille University in France. Representing Alexandria University in Egypt, Dr. Emad Khalil announced that 58 students had completed its maritime archaeology programs since 2020. Divided between 36 diploma students and 22 MA students, a number of these had accomplished their studies with the support of the Honor Frost Foundation. However, the Egyptian university highlighted is the sole academic institution in the Arab world to offer such courses, indicating the overall weak representation of the underwater archaeology field at the higher education level throughout the Arab world. 4. Conservation A representative from the Croatia-based International Centre for Underwater Archaeology (ICUA) in Zadar reminded delegates that efforts to bolster conservation science for underwater cultural heritage (UCH) are needed, as the discipline is currently under-served. A pilot project featuring the 'in situ' conservation of a rare, downed World War II aircraft was presented as an example of an ongoing underwater conservation project with a 15-year research horizon. By attaching magnesium cathodes to the submerged aircraft, the vessel's rate of deterioration has been significantly decreased. Considering the high number of metal aircraft and shipwrecks globally, the importance of retarding deterioration of metal hulls, fuselages, and other parts cannot be understated. 5. Potentially polluting wrecks According to maritime archaeologist Dr. Benjamin Ferrari, there are at least 8,000 vessels worldwide, primarily from two World Wars, that contain a large amount of oil at risk of being released and which authorities are 'not ready to deal with'. Since submerged vessels are susceptible to deterioration and collapse, sudden leakages of pollutants, such as oil, chemicals, and munitions, are a significant concern. Despite a considerable amount of finance being associated with emergency oil response, this is mainly for contemporary spills from privately owned vessels and is not specifically geared towards legacy wrecks. As such, existing resources cannot be used to solve the threat of polluting wrecks Moving beyond siloed research Perhaps the main takeaway from the UNESCO-hosted meetings is that protecting our oceans, preserving underwater archaeology, and celebrating maritime cultural heritage are activities that stakeholders should pursue together, rather than in isolation, in the realms of science, academia, or culture. The broader climate crisis, which endangers underwater cultural heritage through sea level rise, more frequent storms of greater intensity, and ocean acidification, can only be addressed through cooperative action on an interdisciplinary basis. Likewise, the grave threat to the marine environment from Potentially Polluting Wrecks (PPW) cannot be prevented or, at the very least, mitigated without cross-sector collaboration among scientists, policymakers, industry, and maritime communities
Observer
21-06-2025
- Science
- Observer
Unesco Chair Aflaj contract extended
NIZWA: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has extended the contract of the Unesco Chair in Aflaj Studies at Nizwa University for another four years under the new name: Unesco Chair in Aflaj Studies and Socio-hydrology. The extension of the contract affirms the scientific role the University of Nizwa plays in documenting traditional and cultural knowledge and its sustainable management, particularly with regard to the Omani aflaj system, an ancient irrigation system that combines environmental, social and cultural aspects. Dr Abdullah bin Saif al Ghafri, Professor of the Unesco Chair in Aflaj Studies and Sociohydrology said: 'The change of the name comes in response to global scientific trends towards socio-hydrology, an interdisciplinary field that studies the relationship between human societies and their water resources. It highlights water management, water justice and the behaviour of individuals and institutions towards water as well as the associated cultural and developmental dimensions. He pointed out that since its launch in 2021, the Unesco Chair in Aflaj Studies has achieved a number of scientific and academic accomplishments including the publication of dozens of research papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, the introduction of specialised university courses on aflaj, the production of radio and documentary programmes and the provision of field consultations for farmers and aflaj managers. He added that the University of Nizwa has played a pivotal role in supporting the project since its inception, providing basic funding and academic and logistical support, in addition to support from ministries and government agencies, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the Diwan of Royal Court, the Oman Water Society, among others. He stated that the Chair continues to expand its network of research collaborations with universities and scientific centres in several countries, including Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Morocco and Iran. This strengthens its scientific presence internationally and facilitates the exchange of knowledge about traditional water systems. He pointed out that the Omani aflaj system is receiving increasing attention from international researchers, due to its natural sustainability and harmony between humans and the environment. He emphasised that the Chair seeks to become an international centre specialising in socio-hydrology. — ONA
