The Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, in collaboration with the New Media Academy, the first innovative academy of its kind in the field of digital media in the Middle East, is set to launch the third cohort of the Executive Diploma in Government Digital Communication. The program will run from October 7 to November 28.

The program, which has already seen the graduation of 60 government communication officials in its first and second cohorts, is the first executive diploma of its kind in the region. It aims to train government communication teams to adopt global best practices in effective government communication.

The program seeks to prepare government communication officials to face various challenges, helping them align their organization's media messages with government vision, strategy, and key messages. Government communication officers are responsible for maintaining the identity and public image of their respective government entities.

The program also aims to familiarize its participants with the digital transformations in government communication systems implemented in major global organizations. This enhances their ability to lead and develop digital communication, train government communication specialists to develop social media strategies aligned with their institutions' goals, and implement effective media strategies using the latest technologies to ensure targeted government messages reach their intended audiences.

Registration for the Executive Diploma in Government Digital Communication, which aims to enroll 25 participants in its third cohort, opened today. Interested individuals can register through the following link: https://bit.ly/3Avla3W. The program targets employees of corporate communication departments in UAE government bodies with at least five years of experience in media and communication.

Dr. Ali bin Sebaa Al Marri, CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, stated that the program reflects the school's commitment to developing the skills of human resources across various government sectors in the country, enhancing their institutional expertise, and their ability to keep pace with rapid digital developments. This is achieved through advanced curricula that refine their leadership skills and expand their knowledge of the latest developments in government communication and public policy strategies.

He added that the program has successfully honed the capabilities of a new generation of government communication leaders in its first and second cohorts, equipping them with the necessary digital skills to effectively convey their departments' messages, thereby ensuring the delivery of an innovative and advanced government communication system that enhances effective engagement with citizens.

"We are pleased to collaborate for the third year with the New Media Academy to deliver this diploma, which is distinguished by its advanced programs aligning with the best global practices in the field," he said, noting that these programs are designed by experts in government and digital communication. The program includes lectures, interactive workshops, and opportunities for direct interaction with leading specialists in the field.

Hussein Al Attoli, Director of the New Media Academy, stated: "Through the Executive Diploma in Government Digital Communication, we work to qualify and build the capacities of teams capable of leading the government communication sector and achieving global competitiveness in digital communication within government sectors. This is achieved through a wide range of advanced programs and courses in digital media, providing an interactive learning environment that combines theoretical knowledge, practical application, and artificial intelligence, enabling participants to develop their skills and gain new insights that they can apply in their daily work."

He added, "Participants in the program learn about the latest tools in government communication and the most successful practices in the field. Through the program, we aim to enhance participants' awareness of the characteristics of social media platforms and how to utilize them in government communication, in addition to training them on leveraging these platforms to enhance interaction between institutions and the public."

"Our partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, a leading institution in teaching excellence methodologies in government administration, reflects our commitment to investing in human capital development and responding to the growing need to enhance future skills among government employees through advanced educational programs that contribute to realizing our country's vision for leadership and innovation," he said.

The Executive Diploma in Government Digital Communication meets the aspirations for developing a modern and advanced government communication system, in line with its growing role in providing sophisticated and up-to-date services to citizens. This contributes to fostering public trust in government institutions, especially at a time when the importance of effective communication by governments with the public is increasing, keeping pace with the rapid evolution of the communication sector and the diverse information and service needs of the audience.

As part of the program, various academic tools and practical applications are provided, offering participants the opportunity to learn about and address the challenges faced by government communication departments in the digital age. This is achieved by developing the skills and abilities of government communication officials in various government entities, enabling them to acquire the necessary knowledge and experience to use digital communication tools and methods effectively, enhancing public engagement and achieving government strategy objectives.

The program aims to achieve several goals, including helping participants understand future government trends, digital transformation developments in the government sector, encouraging communication teams to adopt best practices, staying abreast of the latest new technologies and global channels, and managing the entire digital communication system to ensure targeted messages reach the intended audiences.

The third edition of the program runs for eight weeks, training participants to develop social media strategies that align with their organizations' goals. This is achieved through 76 intensive training hours covering 13 different topics, delivered by 15 lecturers, experts, and speakers, equipping participants to maintain the media identity and image of their government institutions.

The Executive Diploma in Government Digital Communication is divided into two parts: the first part will be conducted by the team from the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government from October 7 to October 29, while the second part will be handled by the New Media Academy team from November 4 to November 28.

The school's section includes three key areas: the first focuses on "Future Governments," exploring scenarios and key features of future governments and introducing the concept of global competitiveness and how countries and institutions can leverage this concept.

The second area, titled "The New Digital Era," covers ways to harness advanced technologies and innovations to serve government entities, and methods to invest in the digitization sector, which holds unprecedented ambitions for communities. The third area studies the modern government communication approach in the UAE.

The training section hosted by the New Media Academy includes several topics, starting with the language, terminology, and basic principles of digital communications to simplify and understand the digital landscape and its challenges. This enables decision-makers to develop a clear strategy that aligns with targeted audiences.

The academy enlists a group of experts who equip participants with the skills to develop a long-term strategic plan for digital communications, manage various digital channels, employ storytelling techniques to create engaging digital content for audiences, utilize content distribution plans to maximize impact, develop a crisis communication plan, and deliver the required data to the public, stakeholders, and managers, enhance press releases, increase media coverage, and use digital tools to facilitate their tasks.

The second cohort of the Executive Diploma in Government Digital Communication, which celebrated its graduation last June, saw the participation of 23 officials from government communication departments in federal and local entities, where they received training to enhance the government communication system with new tools and modern methodologies.