Collaboration aims to professionally train and enable young talents to tackle modern-day issues

26 April 2021: Akhbar Al Aan and the American University in the Emirates (AUE) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide support to students aspiring to build successful careers in the media. The agreement will help set the stage for establishing a professional environment dedicated to journalism and media students for them to acquire the relevant skills required in their future career. The move falls in line with Akhbar Al Aan’s aspirations to support the youth by providing them with a professional environment and opportunities to pursue in the media field.

The MoU forms part of Akhbar Al Aan’s commitment to facilitate new development and training opportunities for the younger generation. This is in recognition of the role of the youth in shaping the future of digital journalism and the media in the Arab world.    

The strategic partnership marks a strong start in Akhbar Al Aan’s initiatives this year to build fruitful collaborations with leading universities in the Arab region and establish direct communication with the students to nurture their talents and capabilities.

Through the agreement, students will gain professional training that is essential for them to report issues, topics, and stories that are of interest to the young generation. This is aligned with Akhbar Al Aan’s newly adopted identity and approach as an independent news platform dedicated to the youth.    

Solange El Rassi, Head of Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Al Aan TV, said: “We are proud to announce our strategic partnership with the AUE to support future media professionals and provide them with hands-on experience and a clear understanding of what it is like to work in the field. This agreement provides an opportunity for the young media talents to apply the skills and knowledge they learn in the university. Moreover, through our joint efforts, we can help reshape the different reporting methods and highlight the stories that matter to the young generation today.”

“We believe that we have a role to play in providing all the tools required to promote knowledge and share experiences in the field to support the aspirations of the younger generations, so that their news becomes our news. By establishing channels of effective communication with the youth, we will also be able to learn the latest and most innovative techniques in social and digital media and journalism from them in return,” she added.

“We look forward to expanding this cooperation with other universities across the Arab region and benefit many youths, who are considered as the most important resource in achieving a prosperous future. We reaffirm our commitment to work with leading universities and academic institutions to equip the younger generation with knowledge, expertise and tools to succeed in the fields of media and journalism,” El Rassi concluded.    

William Cornell, Provost – Professor of AUE, said: “Our partnership with Akhbar Al Aan is an exciting new journey which strongly reflects our shared mission of providing the young generation – the leaders of tomorrow - with a new voice and hope.  Through media training, we are giving them the opportunity to use their voice and interact with people whose stories need to be told.”

“It is important that they learn the professional skills and ethical responsibility when using the power of their voice for the good of the society. Having said that, we are proud to be partnering with a responsible news organization like Akhbar Al Aan. We, at the American University in the Emirates believe that nothing is impossible, and we spare no effort in equipping our students with the best knowledge and skills to enable them to achieve their dreams. We are confident that this partnership adds significant value to our efforts in this regard.”

The two entities agreed to share the industry best practices and cooperate in attracting, training, and retaining talents, who add value to Akhbar Al Aan’s pioneering media approach emphasizing innovation and originality. The collaboration will also allow the AUE students to use Akhbar Al Aan’s studios and advanced media facilities to develop top-notch media content aimed at providing inspiration to young media consumers.