On the “World Press Freedom Day”, “Higher Education” adopts programs to meet the needs of the labor market

The “United Arab Emirates” joins the world’s yearly celebrations of the “World Press Freedom Day” on May (3rd), and the evaluation of press freedom around the world, defense against what threatens the independence of media tools, and paying tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while doing their job.

The “World Press Freedom Day” in (2014) concentrates on three correlated subjects, which are: the “Importance of Media in Development”, “Safety of journalists and the rule of law”, and the “Sustainability and Integrity of Journalism”; an international conference is scheduled to take place at (UNESCO) headquarters in “Paris” on (5-6) of May. The annual “UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize” ceremony will take place on May (2nd), (2014) at (UNESCO) headquarters.

The UAE is working to encourage youth to study “Journalism and Media”, to meet the needs of the labor market in this field and the openness the State is witnessing in the field of information and communication technology.

The role of the “Ministry Higher Education and Scientific Research” is to support students to study Journalism, through giving initial accreditation to the “Journalism and Media” Bachelor program in in the specialties of “Journalism” and “Radio and Television” and “Public Relations and Advertising” in line with the policy of higher education in the State, that aims to accredit all the specialties  needed by the different employment sectors, after ensuring  the conformity of its programs proposed  by universities and colleges with the global and international standards and requirements.

The number of universities and colleges with the specialty of “Journalism and Media” and its different branches accredited by the Ministry are (13) private universities and colleges, (12) of them offer "Bachelor’s” degree and one offers “Master’s” degree in “Mass Communication and Media” which is the “University of Wollongong in Dubai”. The three government  universities: the “UAE University”, “Zayed University”, the “Higher Colleges of Technology” offer “Bachelor’s” Programs in the “Science of Communication and Public Information”, “Applied Communication” and “Applied Technology Diploma” which will be offered by the “Higher Colleges of Technology”  starting the next  academic year.

The UAE has lately witnessed media mobility regionally and internationally on its lands, through hosting various forums and conferences concerned with the media industry and exchanging opinions and ideas on the new developments in information technology and communication, and the world of digital media and media content. 

There are over (17) satellite TV stations in the UAE, in addition the state launched in May (2012) the first Arabic satellite station from “Abu Dhabi” which is “Sky News” which reaches up to (50) million viewers in the “Middle East” and “Northern Africa”, (24) radio stations, nine daily Arabic newspapers, seven English  daily newspapers, hundreds of specialized weekly and monthly magazines and journals , and up to (60) newspapers and magazine and journals issued by the ministries, institutions, enterprises, public organizations and associations, sport and scientific clubs , cultural and scientific societies, and general assemblies.