Creative Media Authority and Higher Colleges Partner for Global Journalism Certificate

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

The Creative Media Authority (CMA) and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) have announced a significant partnership with CNN Academy Abu Dhabi to launch a Professional Certificate Qualification in Global Journalism. This initiative marks an important milestone for the CMA in its mission to identify, nurture, and upskill creative talent from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

HCT, recognized as one of the UAE’s premier applied higher educational institutions, will provide students participating in the CMA and CNN Academy Abu Dhabi program with a professional certificate from CNN Academy, officially signed by HCT. Additionally, students enrolled in this course will earn educational credits relevant to their field of study.

The CNN Academy Abu Dhabi program is set to be delivered and assessed over the next two years, in collaboration with HCT’s Applied Media Division. This course will be accredited through the Bachelor of Applied Media degree, ensuring that students receive a recognized qualification.

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Since its launch in Abu Dhabi in 2020, CNN Academy Abu Dhabi has aimed to empower the next generation of journalists through innovative training focused on multiplatform storytelling. Led by CNN's esteemed anchors, correspondents, and technical specialists from around the globe, the academy offers a comprehensive 12-week curriculum. Participants will gain essential newsroom skills, including journalistic ethics, verification techniques, storyboarding, and scriptwriting, delivered through interactive workshops, masterclasses, and digital on-demand tutorials.

This year’s course will emphasize artificial intelligence (AI), featuring a series of weekly workshops and seminars that will address the challenges posed by AI applications in various fields, including electronic ethics and cybersecurity. Participants will also receive hands-on training to build and test their own AI models.

Mohamed Dobay, Acting Director General of the Creative Media Authority, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “The ability to offer a professional certificate and recognition through an educational institution like HCT is a first for CMA in its efforts to nurture and train young individuals from the emirate. We aim to offer educational recognition for all courses provided through our talent development arm, Creative Lab, to fuel the economy of Abu Dhabi with skilled talent in creative industries such as film production, digital media, and gaming.”

Notably, this year, over 70 percent of students participating in CNN Academy Abu Dhabi are UAE nationals, highlighting the engagement and readiness of young creatives to seize opportunities that pave the way for successful careers in the industry.

Dr. Luc Verburgh, Chief Academic Officer at HCT, commented on the collaboration, stating, “The partnership with CNN Academy Abu Dhabi enhances the development of key professional skills as part of the new Digital Media degrees offered by HCT. This industry-aligned learning experience will better prepare our students for careers in the creative media sector.”

Alireza Haji Hosseini, Deputy Bureau Chief at CNN Abu Dhabi and Director of CNN Academy, added, “CNN Academy equips aspiring journalists and storytellers with invaluable skills that lay the groundwork for successful careers in the media industry. By providing this educational merit, we further enhance our students' recognition for the work they’ll produce and the knowledge they’ll gain through this unique program.”

Applications for the 2025-26 course are expected to open at the end of the second quarter of 2025 via the CNN Academy website, inviting the next wave of talent to join this exciting educational opportunity.