In an Institutional Transformation That Is the First of Its Kind in the Arab World.. An-Najah National University Launches a Comprehensive Strategy for Transitioning to Artificial Intelligence

SadaNews - In an unprecedented pioneering step at the regional level, An-Najah National University announced the launch of a comprehensive roadmap for artificial intelligence that encompasses all of its colleges, administrative departments, research centers, and strategic projects. This institutional transformation is considered the first of its kind in the Arab world, aiming to make the university a complete model of a future university supported by artificial intelligence.

Institutional Transformation Led by the Vice President for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence

This step comes within the university's strategic vision for transitioning to an "innovative and smart university," led by Dr. Muhammad Sharaf, the Vice President for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, in a role that is the first of its kind among universities in the region.

The establishment of this position reflects An-Najah's recognition of the importance of specialized leadership in the field of artificial intelligence and its direct link to the university's senior management, ensuring the integration of academic, administrative, and research efforts within a unified and sustainable institutional framework.

A Comprehensive Roadmap Covering Education, Research, and Management

The institutional roadmap for artificial intelligence at An-Najah includes five interconnected main axes: Smart Leadership and Governance: establishing a comprehensive organizational structure led by the office of the Vice President for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, coordinating between colleges, research centers, and administrative departments to ensure unity of vision and implementation.

Academic Transformation: integrating artificial intelligence into curricula and academic programs, updating courses to include applied artificial intelligence, data analysis, and digital transformation.

Research Excellence: enabling research centers to utilize artificial intelligence techniques in their scientific projects and enhancing international cooperation in applied research and innovation.

Automation and Administrative Transformation: digitizing university procedures using smart systems to analyze performance and develop decision-support systems across various departments.

Human Capacity Development: launching comprehensive training programs for academic and administrative staff and students through "An-Najah Academy" and "An-Najah Innovation Park," to prepare a generation capable of leading smart transformation in education, management, and industry.

A Pioneering University at the Regional Level

An-Najah National University is the first university in the region to establish the position of Vice President for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, placing it at the forefront of Arab academic institutions adopting artificial intelligence governance at a comprehensive level.

This transformation extends the university's journey in supporting innovation, having established "An-Najah Innovation Park" as a pioneering center for entrepreneurship and applied research, and launched qualitative initiatives in the fields of smart education, scientific research, digital transformation, and international partnerships.

From Education to Smart Empowerment

Dr. Muhammad Sharaf, the Vice President for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, affirmed that this transformation represents a new phase in the history of An-Najah University, stating: "Artificial intelligence is not just a technology; it is a new managerial and academic approach that reshapes thinking and scientific production within the university. We are not waiting for the future; we are creating it with a clear plan that makes An-Najah a model to be followed in the region."

Local and Regional Impacts
An-Najah aims, through the implementation of this roadmap, to enhance Palestine's position on the regional innovation map and build a model to be emulated in leveraging artificial intelligence in education, research, and management. The university is also working to transfer its experiences to Arab universities through strategic partnerships in the fields of research, training, and digital transformation.

The launch of the roadmap is a continuation of a comprehensive path that An-Najah has begun over the years towards smart transformation, through a series of academic, administrative, and research steps. The university was a pioneer in establishing a College of Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence and integrating artificial intelligence concepts into academic programs by offering a compulsory course for all specializations titled "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Data Science." The university has also continued to develop research programs and specialized graduate studies in artificial intelligence, alongside employing smart digital platforms in managing academic and administrative operations, including admission and registration systems, evaluation, and institutional performance analysis.

These efforts enhance the innovation ecosystem through advanced laboratories and facilities relying on artificial intelligence, providing a supportive practical environment for scientific research and technological development within the university.

Digital Transformation in the Media Center – A Prototype for Institutional Intelligence

Ghazi Murtaqa, Director of the Media Center at An-Najah National University, stated that the Media Center was among the first units in the university to actually implement comprehensive digital transformation within the institutional roadmap for artificial intelligence, as the center has turned in the past two years into the first smart media center in Palestine and the region. Murtaqa explained that the center completed the digitization of administrative and production work entirely through artificial intelligence tools and launched the first smart journalism laboratory that employs data analysis techniques, automated content generation, and multi-platform interactive broadcasting management.

Smart Media Launch in January 2026

Murtaqa added that January 1, 2026, will mark a turning point with the official launch of a comprehensive smart media center, relying on an AI-supported production and management system that includes smart editing, automated video and audio production, and digital campaign management using generative language models. He confirmed that this transformation will make An-Najah's media center the first academic media institution in the region operating with comprehensive institutional intelligence, within the university's vision of transforming into an innovative and smart university that leads Arab media towards the future.
 
Generating Expert Minds and Preserving Institutional Knowledge

Murtaqa revealed a new qualitative project launched by the Media Center at An-Najah titled "Generating Expert Minds," aiming to train generative models on data, knowledge, and achievements of the university's experts, and then launching digital avatars specialized carrying the name, voice, and image of each expert, to be language models capable of benefiting the community and researchers, preserving academic expertise in a long-term digital memory. Murtaqa explained that this project is a significant step towards integrating artificial intelligence in the sustainability of knowledge and turning human competencies into interactive digital resources that support research, education, and scientific guidance both within and outside the university.
 
Intelligence in Curricula and Preserving Collective Memory

The Media Center also contributed, through its specialized team, to developing and modifying advanced teaching curricula in the fields of artificial intelligence, which have been officially adopted within various academic programs at the university, enhancing the integration between education and smart knowledge production. The center is currently implementing a project to preserve the collective memory of An-Najah National University, which aims to document the university's journey spanning over a hundred years since its founding and convert it into an interactive digital record that immortalizes the university's academic, scientific, and national legacy.
 
The First Smart Employee at the University

Murtaqa pointed out that the first smart virtual employee at An-Najah National University was "Adam," an intelligent system fully developed and trained within the Media Center, before the university officially approved its employment within its staff two years ago, marking a first of its kind among Arab universities. He explained that "Adam" works as an administrative and production assistant based on generative artificial intelligence, representing a practical model for the integration of human and machine in the university work environment.