About Hedayet

The Hedayet Institute for Arabic Studies is one of the pioneer institutes devoted to the teaching of Arabic as a foreign language in Egypt. Hedayet Institute has a world class reputation for serving students visiting from abroad and the larger expatriate community in Egypt. It has offered Arabic language and Arabic related studies to students from across the globe since 1994. Hedayet Institute is also a renowned centre for training teachers of Arabic as a foreign language (TAFL).

Hedayet Institute has no connection or relation to any political or religious individuals, bodies or organizations. All the faculty and staff are academically and professionally trained and possess legal work permits. The institute retains its legal right to prosecute anyone or any organization that claims any connection or link to Hedayet Institute.

Our Mission

Feluka rides are a famous trip at HIAS

At Hedayet Institute for Arabic Studies, we have made Arab-Western cultural understanding our mission. We believe that learning the Arabic language in its cultural context is a crucial element in building a bridge of understanding and appreciation between the East and the West cultures.

We also believe that one of the best ways to learn a language effectively is total language immersion. Living the language in its Arabic cultural ambience, through state-of-the-art proficiency-based material and cutting-edge teaching methods, is the learner’s fastest way of mastering the functional skills of Arabic.

Striving to make international students and expatriates feel at home in this very rich Arabic atmosphere, is our way to reaching our goal.

Our Philosophy

Visiting old Cairo famous suq in Khan il Khalili

Our philosophy of Arabic language teaching views any language in its cultural context and as an indispensable foundation that provides meaning and necessitates communication. We seek language teaching that brings about understanding and appreciation of the other and that bridges the Arab and Western, as well as, the other world cultures.

Our strong belief in this philosophy has led us to focus on empowering our students to use language proficiently within its cultural context. Only by fully embracing the Arab culture one can master its language and reach a true understanding of its political, economic and historic depth. Our teaching thus aims at providing meaningful insight into and access to Arabic authentic materials. It also facilitates direct exposure to different facets of the Egyptian and Arab culture through a wide variety of activities inside and outside the classroom.

At Hedayet Institute of Arabic Studies, we are also aware that your emotional memory as a student helps you retain any knowledge you acquire. The institute has a real Arab atmosphere and ambiance that re-enforces your Arabic experience.

Why Hedayet?

Farewell Galabeyya Party

You are Unique at Hedayet:

The Hedayet Institute for Arabic Studies offers you a unique learning experience:

• Total language immersion internalising the patterns of communication and cultural perspectives associated with Arabic. At Hedayet, you will experience a real cultural exposure with our unique communicative teaching approach. We strongly encourage students to speak only in Arabic.
• Academic excellence: Hedayet is certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. At Hedayet you will be taught by highly specialised staff, both in teaching Arabic as a foreign language (TAFL) and in teaching Arabic-related elective courses. Our staff have long-standing teaching experience. Amongst them are previous instructors at Middlebury Arabic Language School, members of professional organizations of TAFL, such as AATA, MESA, ACTFL and NFLC, and world-prize laureates in their fields,
• A flexible program with tailored courses to your needs which enhances career advancement. Also, all programs may be offered on a part-time basis with evening and week-end classes, within an array of intensive and non-intensive programs to serve a range of career goals.
• Competitive pricing, as tuition fees accommodate a wide variety of budgets, including our special offers for groups and scholarships for students of excellent academic merits,
• Diverse student body composed of working professionals, expatriates living in Egypt and students from over 50 countries in the world,
• Earn Credits: as Hedayet is working with several university in the US and Europe, you can get credits for your Arabic courses. You will also receive a certificate of language learning achievements by the end of your program,
• Experience of Egypt: The historic, cultural, and intellectual richness in Egypt is unparalleled. Having one third of the world heritage, Egypt is one of the largest and oldest civilisations. In Egypt, you will enjoy some of the most naturally beautifully sites worldwide, whether you venture the Red sea best diving resorts in the world, or the breath-taking Oasis in the Western desert. As a Hedayet student you can join trips to a wide variety of cultural, natural or historic sites across Egypt.
• Experience Cairo: one of the most ancient cities of the world that encompasses Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Modern sites. Cairo has a buzzing cultural and intellectual night life, unmatched by any Arab city in the region. Maadi, where Hedayet is situated, is also one of the greenest and environmentally friendliest suburbs of Cairo, and is only 20 minutes from downtown.

Hedayet Staff

About the director : Dr. Nagwa Hedayet

She was a board member at AATA ( the international American Association of the Teachers of Arabic from 2009 to 2012. She was among the first very few OPI testers in Egypt & world wide by The American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages(ACTFL)

Nagwa Hedayet has been teaching Arabic as a foreign language for over thirty years. She has contributed to the field of Arabic and Islamic Studies through several of her teachings, research, community service, language programs, developed curricula, and Arabic Language teachers’ training. She was the director of the Arabic Program at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles. She also taught Arabic and Islamic studies at different programs including the Center of Arabic Studies Abroad (CASA) at American University in Cairo, Middlebury College in Vermont, as well as, different institutions in Russia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and her native Egypt. Hedayet has particular experience in teaching senior professors from the US in the field of Middle Eastern studies (CASA III Program at AUC). Among her many former students are renowned names in the field of Arabic, Islamic, and Middle East Studies.

Hedayet was among the first certified Arabic Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) testers in Egypt by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign languages (ACTFL). Several of her research in teaching methods has been presented at several international fora and served different universities, education ministries and language centers across the globe.

Hedayet founded the Hedayet Institute for Arabic studies in Egypt in 1994, aiming to set a different approach for the teaching of Arabic language in Egypt and the Middle East.

She has a BA in Political Science with a minor in Arabic Studies and an MA in Arabic Studies from the American University in Cairo (AUC). Her Ph.D. was in Islamic/European History (Andalusia) from Cairo University.

About the faculty

Hedayet Institute for Arabic Studies prides itself in having highly qualified instructors with long teaching experience in Arabic as a foreign language and other related areas such as Arabic literature, oriental music, tajweed al Qur'aan, Coptic history, Islamic architecture, Arabic calligraphy and women's studies. One of our faculty members is the first prize winner of Arabic Critics in Dubai in 2002, another is the prize winner of the Arab calligraphy contest in Saudi Arabia.

Faculty members:

Ahmad Khorshid: BA in Business Administration from American University in Cairo
MA in TAFL in 1995
Shared in several language programs at the USA, UAE and in Egypt
Languages: Arabic, English, German, French and Spanish

Muhammed al-Kashif: Professor of Arabic & Literature at several Egyptian Universities and of AFL at CACE at the American University in Cairo

Hoda al-Saadi: Professor of Arab/Islamic History at Egyptian universities and at the American University in Cairo. Working with HIAS since 1998.

Shahinda Karim: Professor of Islamic Arts and Architecture at Cairo University Working as a lecturer and consultant at HIAS since 2002. MA in Islamic Architecture from AUC and Ph.D from Cairo University
Languages: Arabic , English, German and French

Sahar Abdul Gawwad: MA in TAFL from AUC and BA in English language from Cairo University. Working with HIAS since 2002

Rasha Abdalla: MA in TAFL from AUC working with HIAS since 2001

Wafaa Abu Bakr: MA in TAFL from AUC. Worked with HIAS since 1998.

Shahira Yaquut: MA in TAFL from AUC working as a consultant instructor with HIAS since 1998.

Ayman Bakr: BA in Arabic language and literature and Ph.D. in Arabic Critics from Egyptian Universities. First Prize winner of Arab critics in the International Arab Contest in Abu Dhabi in 2001.

Al Shaikh Ashraf Abdul Mo’tti: Graduate of Al-Azhar University, Institute of Recitation

Dr. Omayma Abu Bakr: MA & Ph.D. from Cairo University, director of Women Forum in Egypt. Lecturer and consultant of HIAS on women studies.

Nagwa Mahrous: Dean of the Cinema Institute, lecturer and consultant of HIAS on arts and Cinema issues in Egypt