An evaluation of conducting higher education entirely in Arabic (The case of FSMVU Faculty of Islamic Sciences)

ABSTRACT An Evaluation of Conducting Higher Education Entirely in Arabic (The Case of FSMVU Faculty of Islamic Sciences) Language, which constitutes the cornerstone of human thought, occupies a crucial place within the educational system. The appropriateness of the language of instruction plays a decisive role in a student's ability to comprehend and interpret knowledge accurately. In this regard, whether the language of instruction coincides with the native tongue of both instructors and students gains particular significance. This study examines the extent to which the use of the native language or a foreign language as the medium of instruction influences the educational process, as well as students' academic performance and professional trajectories. The research consists of two main parts. The first part addresses the concepts of language, mother tongue, and foreign language. Furthermore, it elaborates on foreign language education while tracing the historical development of Arabic instruction in Türkiye. The second part presents the findings of a survey conducted among students, designed to evaluate the implementation of a full Arabic-medium model in higher education. The results reveal the effects of this model on students. According to the findings, the majority of students demonstrated significant progress in their Arabic language skills. Nevertheless, challenges such as difficulties in following lectures during the initial years, scarcity of resources, and problems arising from differing language proficiency levels were also observed. Despite these challenges, participants emphasized that Arabic-medium education provides substantial long-term advantages in their professional lives. In conclusion, the full Arabic-medium instruction model encompasses both opportunities and limitations. This thesis contributes to the broader debate on foreign language education and proposes several recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of such models. Keywords: Mother-Tongue Education, Foreign-Language Education, Arabic Instruction in Türkiye, Evaluation of Foreign-Language Education, Higher Education, Teaching Arabic