AJMI - Doha

Digital Media Diploma training concluded last Thursday, after a month-long program at Al Jazeera Media Institute under the supervision of a selected group of trainers and experts, with a ceremony held at the institute’s main hall.

In graduates’ speech, trainee Mona Al-Bader, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Milaha, said that the Digital Media Diploma "established a new generation of experts in this field. It was not just a training course, but rather a rich platform for constructive discussions and inspiring ideas. training activities extended over 150 hours marked by seriousness and dedication, supervised by a group of highly qualified and professional trainers distinguished with great human values." She added that the diploma "greatly enriched our knowledge and professional capacity, and it represents the start of a new journey of achievements."

In the same context, Mr. Hamad Al-Houl, Director of Planning and Projects Department at the Institute, congratulated diploma participants on their graduation, expressing his appreciation for their commitment and sincere efforts throughout the program. He praised their dedication to developing their skills despite their work commitments in the mornings, and their determination to continue learning and acquiring skills needed to keep pace with the rapid developments in digital media. He also wished them continued success and urged them to apply knowledge and experiences gained in their workplaces to enhance professional excellence and adapt to technological changes.

For his part, trainee Naif Al-Shahrani – Director of Communication and Media Office at Nama Center – explained that the diploma granted him a clearer vision of the transformation of media from a traditional model to an integrated digital system, where media is no longer just about transmitting news, but also involves content management, interaction and continuous audience monitoring. He also emphasized the integration between theoretical aspect, which provides scientific foundation, and the practical aspect, which allows immediate practical application through workshops and hands-on exercises.

He pointed out that, he considered the diploma empowerment, as the program equipped him with the required practical skills and tools to improve his media performance and to contribute more effectively to serving the community. He went further to say, among the most valuable skills he acquired and intends to apply in his daily work is the use of artificial intelligence tools in producing digital content more efficiently and professionally, whether in text or video formats. He added that diversity of expertise within the diploma provided new dimensions to discussions and enriched the overall experience, particularly in terms of how to apply digital tools across different work environments.

Trainer Abdullah Al-Shehimi hailed the positive interaction of participants in “Content Editing and Digital Storytelling” course held within the diploma, noting their evident passion for experimentation and practical application—whether in script writing or transforming journalistic ideas into visual templates suitable for digital platforms. This reflects their growing awareness for importance of combining editorial skills with visual creativity.

Al-Shehimi advised participants to continue learning and exploring new experiences to keep up with the rapid changes in digital content, stressing that adaptation creates impact. He explained that the course placed participants before a challenge of formulating an influential media message that reaches audiences through digital platforms, where content is the essence of digital media and storytelling gives it vitality and impact.

For her part, trainee Salwa Mohammed, a program producer at Al Jazeera News Channel, affirmed that the diploma enabled her to develop methods for dealing with social media, which positively impacted viewership rates and audience engagement with content. She pointed out that what benefited her most was the practical application of engagement evaluating for produced videos on platforms, in addition to setting strategies to improve them and auditing video materials to ensure quality, which had a direct impact on improving her professional performance. She stressed that the diploma was a transformative experience, as "no one leaves it the same as he first entered."

Trainer Makram Kalash, journalist and digital producer, urged his fellow media professionals at the conclusion of the diploma to continuously invest in developing digital knowledge, emphasizing that understanding algorithms and content dissemination mechanisms is key to handling media crises in the future. He stressed the importance of considering crisis management as part of the strategic structure of media institutions, not just as a reaction, since crises are now managed in front of an audience that monitors every word and decision.

Kalash explained that “Crisis Management course on digital platforms”, offered within Digital Media Diploma, is one of its most significant modules, as it places crises at the core of digital media work. It requires skills of early monitoring, analyzing digital indicators and managing messages wisely to maintain public trust. He concluded by stressing importance of focusing on practical aspects through simulating real crises, analyzing institutional performance for managing them and learning from extracted lessons.

It is worth noting that the diploma was supervised by a distinguished group of trainers including Ibrahim Arab, Abdullah Al-Shehimi, Hassan Khodari, Ahmed Ashour, Yahya Saleem, Ahmed Sabry, Makram Kalash, and Ahmed Ashra.