RAK Government Media Office Collaborates With AURAK To Launch Junior Reporter Programme For Students

The Ras Al Khaimah Government Media Office (RAKGMO) has teamed up with the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) to introduce the Junior Reporter Programme. This initiative aims to equip students with practical media skills, allowing them to create diverse journalistic content. The programme focuses on editorial features, social media content, photography, video, and audio, offering a fresh perspective on life in Ras Al Khaimah.

Selected students will have their approved stories published on RAKGMO’s Heart of RAK platform. This platform serves as a central hub for residents, visitors, and businesses in Ras Al Khaimah. It provides an opportunity for inclusive storytelling while opening new career paths for students. The collaboration ensures that student-driven content is reviewed and refined by both academic mentors and industry professionals.

Heba Fatani, Director-General of RAKGMO, expressed the significance of this partnership: "This partnership embodies Ras Al Khaimah’s belief that the future is built by empowering the voices of today’s youth. Through Heart of RAK, we are not only nurturing young storytellers but also shaping a generation that will document and define the Emirate’s journey with authenticity, creativity and purpose. Our youth are the true narrators of Ras Al Khaimah’s evolving story."

Professor Bassam Alameddine, President of AURAK, highlighted the university's commitment to experiential learning: "At AURAK, we are committed to bridging academic learning with hands-on, real-world experiential learning. This partnership with RAKGMO offers our students a unique opportunity to contribute directly to the media landscape of Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE while developing the professional skills essential for their careers."

The programme follows a yearly academic cycle involving onboarding sessions, pitch cycles, reviews, and a showcase at year-end on Heart of RAK. Students selected through a merit-based process will receive official media credentials and mentorship from both academic staff and industry experts. This approach allows them to engage with real-world newsroom dynamics beyond theoretical learning.

Rouba Zeidan from RAKGMO stated: "This collaboration brings student-driven content to Heart of RAK while giving participants the tools and mentorship to capture the everyday stories that make Ras Al Khaimah so unique." The initiative encourages students to develop professional storytelling skills by working closely with experienced mentors who guide them through submissions and insights.

The Junior Reporter Programme is inspired by the "teaching hospital" model from the United States. It allows students to work alongside professionals in an authentic media environment while continuing their studies. Professor Imad Hoballah noted: "This collaboration allows students to move beyond theory and engage with the real-world dynamics of a working newsroom."

This marks another collaboration between RAKGMO and AURAK following their previous joint effort with Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research on a scholarship programme focused on broadcast journalism and TV production.

The Junior Reporter Programme not only enhances classroom learning but also inspires peer interaction. Students gain a platform to share their work regionally and globally through Heart of RAK channels where stories are tagged as Junior Reporter contributions.

With inputs from WAM