IMI Media Academy and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF) have entered a five-year strategic partnership under Al Ghurair Voice Lab with IMI , to develop the next generation of Arab media talent, creating stronger pathways from education and skills development to practical industry experience and professional opportunities.
Over five years, the partnership aims to reach 29,000 young people through learning and development initiatives. It will also help create pathways into the media sector by facilitating access to internships, placements, employment opportunities and other forms of professional development.
The agreement was signed by Ali Al Hammadi , Chief Operating Officer at IMI , and Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar , Chief Executive Officer of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation , in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber , Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of IMI , and His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair , Chairman of the Board of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation .
Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, said, “Media has an important role in how our region sees itself and how others see us. That makes investing in the people who will shape its future especially important.”
She added, “Through this partnership with IMI, young people will have the chance to learn within a real media environment, develop their skills alongside professionals and see a clearer route into the industry. For us at AGF, that connection between learning and real opportunity is fundamental. We want young people across the Arab region to have the skills, the access and the space to contribute their perspectives and tell the stories of their communities.”
Khalid Al Hosani , Director of Operations at IMI Media Academy , said, “This partnership is about building a stronger pipeline of Arab media talent—not simply delivering training. By connecting education directly with practical experience, mentorship and professional opportunities, we will help thousands of young people move from learning about the media industry to actively contributing to it. Our ambition is to create a model that delivers measurable outcomes in the UAE and can be expanded across the region.”
The partnership will launch in the UAE and is expected to expand across the region over the five-year period.
Through this collaboration, AGF and IMI Media Academy aim to strengthen the pipeline of skilled Arab media professionals and create clearer pathways for young people to move from education and training into the industry.
Chantal Saliba , Director of Media & Training at IMI Media Academy , said, “Media cannot be learned from a classroom alone. Young people need the opportunity to work with experienced professionals, understand how newsrooms and creative teams operate, and develop their own voices through practice.
Saliba added, “This partnership will give them that exposure—helping them build not only the technical skills required by today’s industry, but also the judgment, confidence and curiosity needed to shape its future.”
The partnership comes as rapid changes in technology, audience behavior and media production are reshaping the skills required across the industry.
It brings together IMI Media Academy’s industry expertise, professional training capabilities and access to a dynamic media ecosystem with AGF’s regional experience in education and youth empowerment and its learning-to-earning approach, connec…