AOU Center of Excellence
Advancing AI Education, Research, and Innovation
Welcome Message
Director: TBA (To Be Announced)
Welcome message from the Director of the AOU Center of Excellence Unit will be displayed here.
About the Center of Excellence
Mission
The AOU Center of Excellence is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence education, research, and innovation across multiple sectors. We aim to bridge the AI skills gap, promote responsible AI use, and prepare AI-ready graduates who can contribute effectively to national and global digital transformation initiatives.
Vision
To become a leading center of excellence in AI education and research, driving innovation and transformation in alignment with Vision 2030 goals and national priorities.
Strategic Alignment
AOU Mission + Vision 2030: The Center aligns with the Arab Open University's mission to provide accessible, high-quality education while supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives. We focus on developing AI capabilities that contribute to economic diversification, technological advancement, and human capital development.
Target Beneficiaries
- Students across all AOU faculties (Computer Studies, Business Studies, Language Studies)
- Faculty members and educators
- Working professionals seeking AI upskilling
- Industry partners and organizations
- Research communities and academic institutions
Workshops
Upcoming workshops
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Executive Committee
Dr. Sarah Ayad
Executive Committee President
Dr. Sarah Ayad is an Assistant Professor at Arab Open University. She is the President of the Executive Committee for the Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence. She is an active researcher and educator working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and semantic technologies. Her academic and research contributions reflect a strong commitment to applying AI and ontologies to real-world challenges in healthcare, education, and digital transformation. She leads strategic initiatives focused on AI infrastructure, training, and innovation aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
Dr. Nesrine Atitallah
Executive Committee Vice President
Dr. Nesrine Atitallah is a PhD holder in computer systems engineering and researcher specializing in computer science, artificial intelligence, and advanced networking. Her research focuses on AI-based solutions for healthcare security and smart agriculture, with particular interest in intelligent monitoring systems, data security, and sustainable technology applications. She actively contributes to academic program development, applied research, and innovation initiatives, and holds an HCIA-AI certification, reflecting her expertise in AI-driven digital transformation.
Dr. Dalia El Khaled
Executive Committee Member
Dalia EL Khaled, Ph.D Electronic Engineering Technologies
Dr. Dalia El Khaled is an Assistant Professor at Arab Open University (AOU), Saudi Arabia, specializing in computer engineering, digital education, and data-driven technologies. She holds a PhD in Engineering with excellence from the University of Almería, Spain, where her research focused on dielectric spectroscopy for non-destructive quality assessment of biomaterials.
Dr. El Khaled has extensive academic and teaching experience across Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, having taught core engineering and computing courses including programming, digital logic, microprocessors, databases, and embedded systems. At AOU, she serves as Branch Course Coordinator, Head of Extracurricular Activities, officer of the Research, Development and Innovation Center leading initiatives that bridge academia, innovation, and student engagement in the Entrepreneurship and Future Makers committees.
Her research interests span dielectric spectroscopy, bioimpedance sensing, renewable energy applications, electronics, and artificial intelligence in education. She has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals such as Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Journal of Cleaner Production, Sensors, Electronics, and IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics. Her work has received significant international citations and contributes to both theoretical advancements and applied engineering solutions.
In addition to her research and teaching roles, Dr. El Khaled is an active reviewer for leading MDPI journals including Materials, Sustainability, and Technologies, and a member of the Electronics, Communication, and Telemedicine Research Group at the University of Almería. She is also deeply involved in promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and the ethical integration of generative AI in education, regularly conducting workshops and training programs for students and educators.
Dr. Fatma Masmoudi
Executive Committee Member
Dr. Fatma Masmoudi is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Computer Studies at Arab Open University. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Sfax, Tunisia, with a research focus on accountability management for multi-tenant cloud services. Her research interests span machine learning, data science, cloud computing, business intelligence, data governance, and security and privacy. Dr. Masmoudi has published extensively in high-impact international journals and IEEE conferences, with applications in smart cities, healthcare, cybersecurity, and intelligent systems. Dr. Masmoudi is a WiDS Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa, actively promoting women's participation in data science in collaboration with Stanford University. She has played key academic and administrative roles at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, including Vice Chair of the Information Systems Department, Data Science Club Supervisor, and the head of the students' activities committee. She is a Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) and an ESG Specialist, and a member of IEEE, the Saudi Society for Data Science, and the Saudi Society for Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems. Her work bridges academic research, applied AI solutions, and capacity building through hackathons, student innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Dr. Ola A. Alwesabi
Executive Committee Member
Ola A. Alwesabi received her PhD Degree in computer science especially in Distributed Multimedia and Multimedia Communication, from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in 2018. She has published research papers in International Journals and Conferences with high reputation. Her research interests lie in Distributed Multimedia and Multimedia Communication, Computer Networks, Information System, Video on Demand, Information Security, Cryptography, Web Services, Parallel and Distributed Computing, Cloud Computing, Data Structure, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet of Things.
Partners and Supporters
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Contact Us
For enquiries, collaboration proposals, or workshop requests, write to the Center of Excellence office.
aicoe.office@aou.edu.sa