On March 17, Dr. Wael Mulla, the President of the University, met with Dr. Martha Schulte-Nafeh, the Director of the CASA program for teaching Arabic to non native speakers at the University of Texas. They discussed the best ways to develop a cooperative relationship between the two universities in the field of Arabic language education. Dr. Schulte-Nafeh pointed out that there is a constant increase in the number of students at the University of Texas who desire to study Arabic at the University of Damascus as compared to other universities. She explained that this is a result of the distinguished academic level achieved in the CASA program and the specialized experience of the Arabic teachers in the Higher Language Institute. Dr. Schulte-Nafeh conveyed the desire of the students for more opportunities to interact with other University of Damascus students, as well as Syrian society in general, in order to expand their participation in volunteer and social organizations. In his turn, the President of the University expressed the University's desire to support the CASA program, indicating that there is a possibility that the Higher Language Institute will open up a branch in the old city in order to provide a place for all of the foreign students who want to study Arabic.
