Online Oxford Arabic Dictionary to be made freely accessible in the United Arab Emirates in new partnership between OUP and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Foundation

Oxford University Press (OUP) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Foundation (MBRF) are delighted to announce that from 1 September 2015 the online Oxford Arabic Dictionary will be freely available to all universities, schools, public libraries, and government institutions in the United Arab Emirates in partnership with MBRF.

Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at the 2007 World Economic Forum in Jordan, the MBRF aims to empower future generations to devise sustainable solutions that address challenges in the knowledge and research domains in the Arab world.

The Oxford Arabic Dictionary is produced by an international team of expert translators and advisors using Oxfords renowned language research programme, and is the first resource of its kind to be based throughout on real modern evidence of both English and Arabic usage.

The unique Arabic corpus, developed specially for the Oxford Arabic Dictionary, provides evidence of the latest vocabulary used in computing, business, the media, and the arts, making the resource the most up-to-date bilingual Arabic and English dictionary available. The dictionary focuses on the standardized variant of Arabic used in writing and formal speech, commonly known as Modern Standard Arabic.

His Excellency Hussein Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, lauded the idea of making available the Oxford Dictionary in Arabic and English, describing it as a step in the right direction to contribute to the development of knowledge and education sectors. Considering that the dictionary comes from one of the best international publishing houses, it will serve as a reliable resource for many, not only in the UAE but at the international level, HE Al Hammadi said.

Stating that the project will act as a key pillar in promoting scientific research, HE Al Hammadi said the dictionary will benefit school and university students, government entities, libraries and anyone interested in the Arabic language. HE Al Hammadi wished the project all success and urged everybody to benefit from this initiative.

Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, says: As a leader in the dissemination of knowledge and development projects, MBRF is committed to develop knowledge-led societies in the region and around the world. Our partnership with Oxford University Press paves the way for wider access to the online Oxford Arabic Dictionary, supporting MBRFs efforts to create sustainable societies and economies.

Casper Grathwrohl, President, Oxford Dictionaries, says: We are proud to partner with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Foundation and make the online Oxford Arabic Dictionary available to schools, universities, libraries, and government institutions in the UAE. Both OUP and the MBRF see education and the wide dissemination of top quality scholarship as central to their missions, and this initiative is an exciting opportunity to do just that.

The online Oxford Arabic Dictionary is fully accessible on mobile and tablet, and, via specially developed search software, enabling learners and users of Arabic and English to search more than 330,000 words, phrases, and translations. It can be accessed at http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/arabic/.