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Katara Cultural Village, in co-operation with the Business Forum, held the 25th edition of the Katara Tech Forum under the theme "Artificial Intelligence and Education: Opportunities and Challenges."The forum brought together a distinguished group of experts and specialists, including Dr Anas Bouhlal, Regional Programme Specialist for Higher Education and Technical and Vocational Training; Kholoud al-Mannai, Director of E-Learning and Digital Solutions at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE); Dr Shaker Ahmed al-Ashwal, Executive Director of the Global Institute for Studies in partnership with Arkansas State University (USA); and Abdulaziz bin Ibrahim al-Ishaq, CEO of AI Qatar.The session was moderated by writer and media personality Issa bin Mohammed al-Ishaq.In his opening remarks, Thamer Al-Qadi, Director of the Information Technology Department at Katara and Chair of the Katara Tech Forum, emphasised that the current technological revolution imposes a shared responsibility on all stakeholders.He pointed out that AI is no longer merely a supportive tool, but a genuine partner in shaping the future of education.He added that AI offers opportunities such as curriculum development, innovative personalised learning methods, and empowering teachers to focus on creativity.However, these opportunities come with challenges related to privacy, ethical use, and human capacity building.Al-Qadi noted that Katara's co-operation with the Business Forum reflects the close link between education, technology, and the economy, stressing that investing in knowledge and technology is an investment in humanity and the future.He underlined that the forum serves as a platform for exchanging experiences and ideas, and for turning challenges into opportunities.For his part, Chairman of the Business Forum Saad Mohammed al-Dabbagh said the event's theme aligns with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which focuses on human and knowledge-based development.He affirmed that AI has become a national necessity for serving the future, calling for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to harness modern technologies in developing education.Kholoud al-Mannai stated that MoEHE was among the first ministries globally to begin training its teachers on the use of AI since 2022. She stressed that the purpose of the technology is not to replace teachers but to empower them and ease their workloads.She added that the ministry has developed a digital competency framework for both teachers and students tailored to the local context and is currently working on an e-learning governance framework to ensure the safe and responsible use of digital tools in schools.Dr al-Ashwal praised the higher education environment in Qatar, noting that around 60% of universities in the country offer specialised programmes in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.He emphasised the importance of identifying real educational needs and directing AI use toward achieving educational goals.Meanwhile, Dr Bouhlal highlighted Unesco's role in promoting AI ethics, explaining that it is the only international organisation that has developed a comprehensive framework for this field. He also pointed out the cultural specificities of the Arab world, which require a unique approach to dealing with artificial intelligence, emphasising that AI is not a substitute for human intelligence but a tool that broadens educational horizons and enhances inclusivity.Concluding the discussion, Abdulaziz bin Ibrahim al-Ishaq stressed that education is undergoing a fundamental transformation thanks to AI, calling for the preservation of values and ethics as the true challenge in this domain.He noted that the issue does not lie in the use of technology itself, but in its outcomes and direction.In closing, participants exchanged views and ideas on the role of artificial intelligence in advancing education and addressing challenges while preserving the cultural and intellectual identity of Arab societies. (QNA)

Israel-Premier Tech have been excluded from the Giro dell'Emilia cycling race on October 4 in Italy for 'safety reasons', the organisers told AFP on Saturday.The Giro dell'Emilia, whose 2024 edition was won by cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar, will cover 199 kilometres from Mirandola to Bologna in northern Italy.The race concludes with a climb to the Madonna di San Luca sanctuary, not far from the historic centre of Bologna which has a large student population and a long history of left-wing politics.This week Bologna's local government, controlled by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) called for Israel-Premier Tech's exclusion, citing "the Israeli government as guilty of serious crimes against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip."Roberta Li Calzi, the city's sports councillor, welcomed the decision to exclude the team."Given what is happening in Gaza it would have been hypocritical to consider the presence of a team linked to this (Israeli) government as insignificant," she said in a statement.Adriano Amici, president of GS Emilia which organises the one-day race, said the team "will unfortunately not be present at our race. We had to make this decision for reasons of public security.""There's too much danger for both the Israel Tech riders and others. The race's final circuit is run five times so the possibility of the race being disrupted is very high."It's a decision I regret having to make from a sporting perspective, but I had no other choice for public safety."The race is a ProSeries event, road cycling's second tier after the World Tour, and is a dress rehearsal for Il Lombardia, the final Monument of the year which takes place the following weekend.Four stages of this year's Vuelta, including the finale in Madrid, had to be cut short due to mass protests against Israel's continued offensive in Gaza and the participation in the event of the team, owned by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams.The Premier Tech group which co-sponsors the team and is the manufacturer that supplies the riders with their bikes, wants the team to remove the world "Israel" from the name.