Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University honors winners of 5th Pan- Arab Media Quality Award

In line with its commitment to fostering a culture of quality and honoring creativity and excellence, Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU), a leader in the field of e-Learning and quality management in the Arab World, recently hosted the Pan-Arab Media Quality Award 2011/2012. Running under the theme ‘Alleviating the negative impact of the global recession on our society: What role can quality play? How will it boost economic activity and provide hope for the future?,’ the 5^th edition of the award reflected HBMeU’s belief in the importance of quality in promoting competitiveness and boosting  overall development in the Middle East.

The organisation of the Pan-Arab Media Quality Award for the fifth consecutive year reflects the success and momentum of the previous editions, which have become hugely popular and have attracted great interest from the Arab media. Over the past few years, this award has been able to consolidate its role as a major incentive for the Arab media’s adoption of total quality management practices for the betterment of society and business alike. The award is aimed at all media professionals in the Arab world and covers the four categories of print, TV, radio and digital media in both Arabic and English formats.

The list of this year’s winners include: Heba Abd El Hamed from Alam Rakamy Website, Egypt, in the ‘Digital Media’ category; Siham Chafai from Al Fujairah radio in the ‘Radio’ category; Ahmad Qasem from Decision Makers in ‘TV’ category; and B Surendar from CPI Industry magazine and MA Cleofe Maceda from Gulf News in the ‘Print’ category. 

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMeU, said: “Over the past few years, the Pan-Arab Media Quality Award has proven its success both as a leading platform for spreading a culture of quality and excellence on a large scale across the Arab media. Total Quality Management has gained increasing attention, especially given the recent economic challenges around the world. It plays an effective role in the success of development strategies and in the attainment of tangible and positive results in various economic, social, environmental and scientific areas. We are keen on encouraging journalists and media professionals to adopt quality practices and be aware of the scientific and practical aspects of quality management in everyday life, as well as leveraging media channels to educate the community and the business sector on the importance of this concept which we really need to focus on in this region”.

"We assessed participants in an integrated manner and based our judgment on definite criteria that address pressing issues faced by the Arab world. We particularly focused on the theme of this year’s awards, which is the role of quality management in reducing the negative social and economic effects of the global financial crisis at both the economic and social levels. We emphasized on the resolution of this issue from the perspective of quality and excellence. The winners were selected by a high-profile jury that included a number of prominent local and international experts on media and total quality management. We would like to affirm our commitment to continue stimulating the Arab media to adopt quality-driven concepts and principles at all levels in order to create an appropriate competitive environment to elevate the media experience to the highest levels of excellence. This serves the public interest and complements our aspirations for overall development and the establishment of a healthy society and a robust economy. Moreover, it also uplifts the global status of the Arab region,” added Dr. Al Awar.

Serine El Salhat, General Coordinator, Pan-Arab Media Quality Award, HBMeU: said “The Award is regarded as one of the leading initiatives to enhance awareness on quality in journalism and the media industry, and create an integrated media environment based on innovation, creativity and transparency. This initiative underlines the University’s commitment to raise further awareness among all segments of Arab media on the importance of establishing comprehensive quality management. We look forward to intensifying our ongoing efforts to promote this Award which plays a significant role in enhancing competitiveness among journalists and media through the various workshops, seminars and training courses that are conducted in line with the highest standards of quality.” 

Under the umbrella of the Pan-Arab Media Quality Award, two workshops were hosted in Arabic for journalists in an effort to spread the concepts and practices of quality in different communities across the Arab world. The first workshop was entitled “New breed of multimedia journalists”, under the supervision of trainer Magda Abu- Fadil, who provided an overview of the current role of journalists, media ethics and all aspects related to the multimedia newsroom, writing, photography, audiovisual editing, production, and linking with websites. The workshop also discussed case studies about the size and impact of social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube on the news making process regionally and internationally, encouraging critical thinking among participants.

The second workshop entitled “Journalistic experience to advance careers” was held under the supervision of trainer Sanaa El Jack, who discussed that art of interviewing and news writing. Al Jak conducted a presentation on media ethics, pointing out issues related to the speed in which news is being published online, questionable sources, biased coverage, as well as the commitment to electronic publishing rights. The discussions ultimately aimed to achieve excellence, help build a successful career and enhance the competitiveness of journalists and media professionals.

The participating journalists expressed their delight on being part of these two workshops which demonstrate the University’s leading position in knowledge transfer and raising the bar of excellence in the academic community. They further emphasized the importance of the discussions held during the two workshops, stressing the need to conduct such meetings as it serves as an ideal platform to exchange opinions and expertise related to media and journalism.

HBMeU is the first e-learning institute in the Arab World that was established with the vision to develop a new learning process through the implementation of learning practices characterised by flexibility, quality and diversity to strengthen self-leadership among learners and prepare them socially and academically for a future career through integration in the job market. HBMeU’s philosophy is based on vital methods that have been developed through extensive research and development by specialists from all over the world. These methods include offering high quality programs, supporting the pursuit of lifelong learning, promoting the freedom of information, reinforcing the culture of excellence and innovation and providing education for everyone in line with the highest standards of comprehensiveness and credibility. The university seeks to constantly identify knowledge needs, support research and development programs and create an outstanding environment for e-learning.