The Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies carries an important mission in fulfilling the overall objectives of Zayed University, including achievement of the Zayed University Learning Outcomes.

Responsive to the challenges of the twenty-first century, the Department offers a holistic approach to quality education for its students, with an emphasis on globalism, open and ongoing interaction, creative thinking, broad knowledge of culture and society, leadership skills and the use of technology. Students are encouraged to explore, question, reflect on and compare the issues raised and material presented. The model in this department is learner-centered rather than teacher-centered. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning so that they can equip themselves for an increasingly challenging workplace and society. Courses are designed to lead the students gradually from the basic stage of receiving the material to the interpretive stage, where students want to understand and make links between the various topics, and finally to the stage where students think critically and can state and defend their informed opinions.

While the Department endeavors to emphasize the rich Arabic literary heritage and the legacy of Islam and the Muslim world, its mission markedly differs from the rather traditional approaches prevalent in most of the universities in this part of the world. The Department considers it essential to foster students′ appreciation of their own culture and heritage and of their responsibilities to society. The Department′s aim of promoting international understanding is supported by means of scholarship, learning discourse and the multicultural campus environment. Towards that end, the programs in the Department are of an interdisciplinary nature. Students are expected to form a broad-based learning community, gradually moving toward specialization in their respective fields.

To advance its mission, the Department seeks to maintain a highly qualified faculty. Emphasis is placed on excellence in teaching as well as on research, creative work and faculty members′ intellectual contributions to their disciplines. Outstanding professional support staff, leading edge instructional technology and use of other resources are also central to the pursuit of the Department′s goals.