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A memorandum of understanding was signed by Dean Kenneth Starck of the university's College of Communications and Media Sciences, and Martin Newland, editor in chief of The National, at the university's Abu Dhabi campus on Monday.
Dr. Kenneth Starck, Dean of Communications and Media Sciences, said:
"Zayed University is grateful to The National in helping prepare our students to assume leadership positions in the country and region. In many ways the classroom and newsroom share similar goals. We're both trying to help inform and educate so that people can make intelligent decisions for themselves and for society. The internship experience serves as a good example of how both the community and education can benefit each other."
He added: "At Zayed we aspire to provide an education that enables students to meet or exceed best international practices. And we know that at The National our students are experiencing first-hand what such practices are."
Under the agreement, The National will accept up to five Zayed University students per term seeking work experience as part of their studies. The newspaper will also reserve five of its 10 summer internship places for students of the university or recent graduates. The interns will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience in areas such as news and business reporting, news photography, newspaper design, magazine writing, online journalism, comment writing, among other areas.
A number of the newspaper's award-winning staff from newspapers such as The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, among others, have also offered to teach seminars and workshops at Zayed University's campus from time to time to lend additional resources to Zayed University's College of Communication and Media Sciences.
For his part, Mr. Martin Newland, Editor in Chief of The National, said:
"We are excited and honoured to be taking this first step with Zayed University to bring more young Emirati talent into The National. We view this agreement as part of our responsibility to help develop the UAE and encourage the growth of a strong national identity. We have already had a number of positive experiences with students from Zayed University contributing to our newspaper in our first year. Above all, we hope that those that come to us not only learn enough practical skills to successfully engage in the profession, but begin to see the importance to this developing society of strong public interest journalism."
Colin Randall, The National's Executive Editor, said, "For all the pride I take in being involved in the launch of a quality national newspaper based in Abu Dhabi, I must say I am prouder still of our efforts to encourage the young Emiratis upon whom the future strength, credibility and success of The National will in large measure depend. I have worked with bright, promising young journalists in the UK and France, and can honestly state that I have identified similar levels of talent, enthusiasm and rigour among the Zayed University students I have encountered at The National."
The agreement will formalise and expand the work experience/internship programme that commenced shortly after The National was launched in April by Abu Dhabi Media Company.
In the summer, the newspaper welcomed its first group of interns: Hessa al Romathi, who worked as a national reporter; Fatima al Mutawa, who worked as a news photographer; Salma Fadhel, who worked as a designer; and Bushra al Hasehemi, who worked in the Arts and Life department. Ms. Romathi continues to help The National with special projects. Another Emirati student, Fatima al Shamsi, who studies in New York but joined the Zayed University undergraduates working here in the summer, is contributing a weekly column in M, a weekly magazine published as part of the newly launched weekend edition, The National on Saturday, on her life in, and observations on, America.
Posted by Rana Mesbah
