Mona Al marri during an event. File / WAM

Under the directives of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, the Council on Wednesday announced the opening of registration for the second edition of the ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Scholarship for Emirati Media Students.’

Aligned with the objectives of the Dubai Media Council to support young Emirati media talent, the ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Scholarship for Emirati Media Students’ aims to enhance their impact on the media sector’s development.

The initiative reflects the leadership’s commitment to nurturing national talent and enhancing their participation across vital sectors.

The initiative provides aspiring Emirati media professionals the opportunity to secure a full scholarship for enrolment at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai.

This scholarship will enable them to pursue promising career opportunities upon completing their university studies.

Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, said the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed have guided the Council in realising its goal of fostering a new generation of highly qualified Emirati media professionals and empowering young talent to lead media development in the country.

“The Dubai Media Council is committed to expanding the pool of skilled national media professionals to drive the sector’s development and support broader economic growth. The media landscape is evolving rapidly with new technologies changing the industry. Innovation is key to harnessing these advancements to enhance content and maximise impact. Raising academic excellence and providing new professional training opportunities will enable young media talent to play a crucial role in advancing the sector’s development.”

Al Marri added that the ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Scholarship for Emirati Media Students’ serves as a vital platform to discover and nurture young national media talent. The initiative also enables the UAE media to take advantage of high-quality professionals who can raise the industry’s capacity for creativity, innovation and growth. By nurturing talent, the scholarship programme will enhance the media’s ability to communicate a compelling narrative about the UAE's development journey to audiences across the world.

“We are committed to creating an environment that reinforces Dubai's status as a major hub for media. By attracting fresh talent to the industry and unlocking their creativity and  innovation, the initiative also contributes to achieving the Council’s objective of raising the competitiveness of Dubai-based media,” Al Marri said.

Nehal Badri, Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council, said: “The launch of the second edition of the ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Scholarship for Emirati Media Students’ is one of a series of initiatives undertaken by the Dubai Media Council aimed at accelerating the media sector’s growth.

"The UAE is steadfast in its commitment to cultivating the highly qualified human capital needed to catalyse industry development and promote growth across diverse sectors," she said.

By identifying promising young media talent and empowering them to excel, the scholarship programme provides a strong boost to the Dubai Media Council’s integrated strategy for developing the sector and further enhancing industry standards, Badri noted.

She added that the scholarship, launched by HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in June 2023, aims to encourage Emirati youth to pursue careers in media and increase participation of national youth in shaping the future of the industry.

Those interested in applying for the scholarship can submit their applications through the website: https://scholarship.aud.edu no later than 15 July, 2024. For more information regarding the application process and required documents, please visit: myapplication@aud.edu