Policy for the Preservation and Documentation of National and Local Cultural Heritage

Policy Number	MU-POL-007	Issue Date	1.0
Issue Date	Jan- 2025	Review Date	Jan. 2028
Owner	Center for research and studies	Scope	All Staff and students

I. Purpose and Objectives

As an academic institution delivering its services entirely online across the Middle East and Africa region, Midocean University is founded on the belief that the preservation of the cultural and civilizational heritage of Arab and Islamic societies is both an academic and ethical responsibility. This policy aims to strengthen the University’s role in documenting heritage, promoting academic research in this field, and making it digitally accessible for future generations.

II. Scope

University curricula and academic programs.
Research projects conducted by faculty members and students.
Community initiatives and external partnerships.
The University’s digital repositories and archives.

III. Definitions

Cultural Heritage: The tangible and intangible legacy of language, literature, history, arts, sciences, and social practices that reflects the identity of societies.
Digital Documentation: The use of digital technologies to preserve, archive, and make heritage accessible and searchable.

IV. Core Policy Elements

1. Curriculum Integration

Integrating authentic cultural content into relevant academic programs, particularly in humanities, social sciences, and administrative studies.
Providing Arabic-language academic references and resources that highlight Arab and Islamic civilizational contributions.
Encouraging and supporting research and theses focused on cultural heritage and assigning them appropriate academic weight.

2. Digital Archiving

Establishing an institutional digital repository to preserve academic output in line with international archiving standards.
Coordinating with national and regional digital libraries for joint archiving initiatives.
Ensuring that indigenous communities have access to their cultural documentation through the University’s digital platforms.

3. Research and Publication

Allocating annual research grants for projects related to cultural heritage documentation and preservation.
Encouraging the publication of cultural heritage research in Arabic through the Midocean Journal for Research and Studies.
Collaborating with governmental and regional cultural institutions in documentation projects.

4. Arabic Language

Promoting academic and research output in Arabic alongside English.
Supporting the translation of key academic sources into Arabic to bridge knowledge gaps.

V. Responsibilities

Center for research and studies: Academic supervision and strategic planning of documentation initiatives.
Deans of Faculties: Ensuring integration of cultural content into curricula.
Information Technology Department: Developing and sustaining the digital archiving infrastructure.

VI. Review and Update

This policy shall be reviewed every three years in alignment with the University’s strategic plan.