RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language on Tuesday launched a standardized proficiency test for non-native speakers, known as “Hamza,” at its annual international conference.

The conference, titled “Linguistic Testing: Theories, Experiences and Prospects,” is currently underway in Riyadh.

The “Hamza” initiative is in line with the academy’s role to promote the use of Arabic worldwide and achieve the goals of Vision 2030’s Human Capability Development Program.

Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi, secretary-general of the academy, said that the academy would also launch several culture and education programs aimed at professionals seeking to master the language.

Al-Washmi said that “Hamza” is a standardized test that assesses non-native Arabic speakers’ proficiency in reading, listening, writing and speaking. The test follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and measures proficiency across four levels, ranging from A2 to C1.

Al-Washmi said the initiative is important because of the growing interest in learning Arabic for education, professional, religious and political purposes.

He added that the academy aims to collaborate with organizations teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, including universities.

The “Language Proficiency Test for Academic Purposes” will be offered at computer-based test centers around the world and through virtual remote testing.