MDX Dubai Media department celebrates student achievements and collaborations with CNN, MEPRA, Dubai Lynx, IAA
- Sunday, 2 May 2021
On Thursday 29 April 2021, students and faculty from across our Media department came together for an end-of-year celebration to mark the plethora of successes and achievements seen over the past 12 months. Led by lecturer Stephen King, the evening showcased the work of our talented, innovative and enterprising students in industry programmes such as the CNN Academy and celebrated Middlesex University Dubai’s strong partnerships with organisations such as the International Advertising Association (IAA), Dubai Lynx, and the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA).
The event was inaugurated by Dr Cedwyn Fernandes, Middlesex University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor and Middlesex University Dubai’s Director, and IAA Global Managing Director, Dagmara Szulce, who offered a live address from New York. Middlesex University Dubai’s BA Hons Advertising, PR and Branding programme has recently been accredited by the IAA, and Ms Szulce’s talk was scheduled to mark the prestigious occasion.
Recognising students’ successes in industry
Our students have participated in some of the Middle East region’s most prestigious events over the past academic year, including the CNN Academy, MEPRA Youth Creativity Challenge, Dubai Lynx Festival of Creativity, TiE Dubai Top 10 Entrepreneurs, and Emirates Literature Festival PR Hackathon to name just a few. During the evening, special congratulations were shown to students across our Advertising and PR, Film, and Journalism courses, accompanied by a showcase of the work they produced for these competitions.
Middlesex University Dubai’s PR students shared the full-edit of their COVID Film Festival campaign, which was launched in support of the UAE National Vaccination Campaign #BringLifeBackToLife. Three videos were produced by four students in response to a competition launched by G42 Healthcare, MEPRA and APCO Worldwide. Middlesex University Dubai’s students were awarded first place and each won an Etihad Airways flight ticket. MEPRA’s Chair, Taryam Al Subaihi, and the marketing manager of G42 Healthcare, Anismita Ghosh, joined the students for the event in order to recognise their achievements.
Three Middlesex University Dubai BA Journalism and Communications students were also selected to be part of the first ever CNN Academy, which was led by Becky Anderson, CNN Abu Dhabi’s managing editor and host of the Connect the World with Becky Anderson news programme. Over the course of this experience, the aspiring journalists produced a full news story for broadcast, and the work of one Middlesex student, Elena Stoica, was shown on CNN’s network on Friday 30 April. During Thursday’s event, Becky offered a recorded message to our students. Their work was also showcased to and admired by their peers.
Over the summer of 2020, the Dubai Lynx Festival of Creativity engaged with Middlesex University Dubai for a unique activity challenging students to take “the jury seat” and judge previous Dubai Lynx award submissions. Sixteen students from across Middlesex University Dubai’s diverse range of courses participated in the activity and were recognised by Dubai Lynx’s Festival Director, Thea Skelton, and received certificates of participation.
Our students were also recognised for competing in other competitions including: TiE Dubai; Canon Aktashif Programme; Hult Prize; MEPRA Student Challenge; Dubai Lynx Print Award; and the upcoming Abu Dhabi University Research Competition.
Celebrating faculty achievements
Amongst the faculty members who were thanked included Mark Lomas, lecturer in Journalism, and adjunct lecturers Taghrid Orabi and Carine Duvignaud. Special mention was offered to Stephen King, lecturer in media, for winning the Middlesex One Award for his ‘Outstanding Contribution in Putting Students First’ and for being named one of PRovoke Media’s most innovative communicators in EMEA within the 2020 ‘Innovator 25’ listing.
Dr Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Middlesex University and Director of Middlesex University Dubai, said: “The sheer determination of our students and graduates is very impressive. The successes celebrated during Thursday’s event shows just how much the experience of taking part in events and competitions such as these complements a student’s learning and helps them to build vital industry experience and give them the confidence to succeed. I am incredibly proud of our all Media students and graduates for their amazing work over the past 12 months and am excited to see their careers in the industry unfold!”
Applications for September 2021 are open now. For more information about our media courses, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/courses/media
