Middlesex University Dubai is immensely proud to announce that three of its students are taking part in CNN Academy Abu Dhabi’s first ever, ground-breaking media course. Designed for aspiring journalists, the five-week programme offers a unique and exciting opportunity for the region’s future storytellers to learn multi-media reporting techniques from one of the world’s leading news brands.
Further showcasing their talents, the chosen Middlesex students also starred in a recent CNN broadcast about the Academy. Introducing the feature, Managing Editor of CNN Abu Dhabi, Becky Anderson, described the 2021 class as “just mind blowing; so intelligent and so passionate.”
Led by a team of experienced journalists, only 16 students from 100 applicants were selected onto the inaugural course. Delivered by CNN journalists, content creators and production specialists based in the UAE and around the globe, it provides full training in important skills such as newsgathering, fact checking and multi-media news production.
In order to be considered, applicants had to submit a one-minute video explaining why they were the ideal candidate for the journey, as well as a written pitch for a story suitable for a CNN audience. Standing out from the tough competition were three Middlesex talents: Indian student Ayush Narayana, currently in his third year studying Journalism and Communications, and 2020 Journalism and Media graduates Shaziya Laving from Kenya, and Elena Stoica from Romania.
Reflecting on what it meant to be part of the chosen class, made up of a total of eight different nationalities, Elena said: “I honestly did not expect to be selected for this course and I am extremely excited to learn from the most experienced journalists in the world. I can’t wait to pick their brains and get out there and create some unforgettable stories.
“I’m currently working as a freelancer and my hectic schedule meant that I ended up shooting, editing and creating my entry video and pitch just a day before the deadline. That made me extremely nervous, but I had the best support from the team throughout.”
“At Middlesex University Dubai we are committed to offering students a high quality and well-rounded student experience that will empower them to pursue their career goals and chase their dreams. Our aim is to instil the knowledge as well as the soft skills that will transform our graduates to impactful citizens of the future. We are so proud to see these outstanding students step into the practical world and exercise their true potential” says Dr Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Director, Middlesex University Dubai.
Launched in January, the course is being delivered through a series of virtual seminars and workshops, with additional access to hours and hours of self-taught modules, covering a wide range of topics, also provided. Open to both UAE nationals and residents, in-person workshops are planned for later on in the process (subject to COVID-19 safety protocols). These will give students the opportunity to put their new skills into action, using the equipment and resources at both CNN’s Abu Dhabi headquarters and also in the Creative Lab and Image Nation’s Arab Film Studio at twofour54, the home of Abu Dhabi’s media and entertainment industry.
For more information about CNN Academy Abu Dhabi please visit CNN.Academy/AbuDhabi.
