Sijal (سِجال): A spirited debate or intellectual contest in which both participants put forth equally sinewy arguments. Sijal is an Institute of Arabic Language and Culture founded by scholars of Arab culture, history, and society. We offer outstanding teaching for learners of Arabic at all levels. The Institute is also a hub of intellectual and cultural events, bringing together scholars, artists, and specialists across a broad range of expertise and disciplines, for seminars, workshops, exhibitions and informal conversation. The Institute is based in a historic villa and gardens, benefiting from a location at the heart of the Rainbow Street cultural district of Amman. From this inspiring setting, we host students of the Arabic language, post-graduates working on the Middle East, researchers and creative artists, and the local intellectual community in Jordan and Palestine. Surrounded by Emirate-era buildings, our students learn ‘Arabic in context’, acquiring – in line with the latest pedagogical practice – first-rate language instruction as well as cultural and historical literacy. Immersion is reinforced by our location in a pedestrian residential neighborhood packed with local galleries, restaurants, cafes, and bars, teeming with people of all ages and walks of life. Courses are enriched by a full calendar of events that take place at the Institute, affording them the unique opportunity to interact with creative figures from the Arab world and beyond. Our language and culture curricula are designed by scholars from the universities of New York, Oxford, Cambridge, London, Sheffield, Bethlehem, and Jordan. Qualified and approachable, our instructors craft personalized supervision in a friendly and open yet rigorous environment.