MENA Wikipedia Education Program meeting, Mustafa Riad, Professor at the Dept. of English, Ain Shams University, Dr. Iman Ezzeldin, Professor of Drama, Dr. Hoda Abaza, Professor of French, Literature Faculty of Arts

AinShamsUniversity.Egyptian Students

Ain Shams.Essam

Ain Shams

Interviewed:

Dr. Iman Ezzeldin

Dr. Moustafa Riad (English Professor)

Dr. Hoda Abaza (Professor of French in the Literature Faculty of Arts at Ain Chams University)

Action Items:

• Contact Somaya Sabry (on the MENA contact Google Doc)
• Connect with Abdelhamid, recommended by Dr. Iman

• WMF staff will let Dr. Iman know who the contacts are
• They would benefit from teaching in Arabic
• Articles could be translated

Question

(Frank) -What are the other gaps in their Arabic areas at the university?

(*M. Riad): Articles are short and sketchy on the Arabic Wikipedia. There are gaps in every subject

• (Iman): Start with the professors and assess who is interested
  • There are 47 theatre projects right now. There is drama and cinema in the theatre.

Timeline

start late January for the training (between 1/27-2/7. Dr. Iman can fix the last week of January 20-26th to have a training at Ain Shams

• Dr. Iman says that there is a graduate school, roots program
• (Frank): goal is to work with about 400-500 students in Egypt, 2-3 classes in Jordan (200), Qatar: 1 class.

Wikipedia might be more of an optional tool on Wikipedia)

• Dr. Iman suggested doing a balloon test with volunteers
• Bibliotecha Alexandrina has okay content
• The French professor and Dr. Iman are really interested in doing the Wikipedia training
• Dr. Iman has 25 graduate students

Meeting with Ain Shams Graduate Students in Dr. Iman's class

• We had looked at the work they produced
• Students didn't know that they can edit the Wikipedia articles
• The students read English Wikipedia because there is a lack of Arabic content
• The students have limited computer access
• Most students do have computers
• Students use the following libraries:

1. Opera House Library
2. The National Archives
3. Computers, books, but mostly books for their research. Students find it easier to use books for their research

• Insight: most Faculty of Commerce classes at American University of Cairo are in Arabic