Middlesex University Dubai Hosts Media Industry at First In-Person Careers Day Since Covid-19 Pandemic
- Friday, 1 April 2022
Industry professionals join award winning advertising, PR, journalism and film students to inspire
Dubai, UAE: March 31, 2021 Middlesex University Dubai held its first “in-person” media-themed careers day since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic yesterday. Employers including mass communications agencies, radio stations, publishers and film directors convened at the Dubai Knowledge Park campus to share opportunities with the award-winning students from the Middle East’s leading media school.
Over 100 students participated in the event, which include five inspirational talks from industry, a careers fair where students can meet and ask questions directly and personally with their prospective employers, an exhibition of final year research posters, and three Zooms chats with guests from around the world. Inspirational speakers from Cosmopole PR, the Fun Asia Network, Houbara Communications and Prestidge Group, as well as experienced film professionals, Ameen Nayfeh, director of the movie 200 meters, and Mike Quinn, who is known for his work as a puppeteer in the world’s most famous space opera Star Wars, encouraged the students as students emerge from university and lockdown into a world of opportunity. Middlesex University's Hendon campus provided an 'encore' with a final Zoom-talk introducing a unique crowd-funding platform, MDX Crowdfund, which provides UK-students an opportunity to raise funding for an entrepreneurial project without administrative fees.
Dr David Tully, Head of Media at Middlesex University Dubai, said: “We are all so excited to meet the industry in person and on campus once again. We have had a couple of really challenging years - but adversity breeds innovation! Our graduates have shown so much determination and ambition through this period, we are proud to showcase their exceptional work.”
In academic year 2021-22, Middlesex University Dubai media students placed first in the inaugural Kioxia Hackcellence entrepreneurship festival, and were also finalists within the University of Sharjah Innovation and Entrepreneurship Festival. These accolades add to the growing cabinet of trophies collected over the past five years, including the Dubai Lynx University of the Year in 2019, Forbes Middle East Media Department of the Year 2019, and more recently the Middle East PR Association (MEPRA) National Youth Competition in 2021.
In a poll of 145 students conducted in the summer of 2021, 95% of respondents were in employment or had started their own business. Graduates can be found in advertising and PR agencies, marketing department and news desks at publications across the UAE and internationally. Other students were engaged in further education abroad.
David Tully concluded: “We are grateful to have received such amazing support for our first careers fair since the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are looking forward to presenting a valuable experience for our students.”