SHARJAH, 24th January, 2023 (WAM) — The International Government Communication Centre (IGCC) of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) today launched the second edition of the Professional Diploma Programme in Strategic Government Communication at the American University of Sharjah (AUS).

The programme focuses on the academic and practical aspects of government communication theories in light of case studies, both success stories and failures around the world.

Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, said that the Professional Diploma Programme in Strategic Government Communication launched in partnership with the American University of Sharjah constitutes a major development in honing the skills and enriching the knowledge of government communication professionals, media and communication students, and all those interested in this field.

Al Suwaidi highlighted the importance of the programme in developing and enhancing special competencies, leading to the development of the government communication sector in the region and beyond. “The International Government Communication Centre, in cooperation with leading media and communication specialists and experts, has developed a comprehensive academic and practical program to introduce participants to all key areas of government communication in various categories, and familiarise them with successful government communication strategies and techniques at the national and international levels,” she added.

Dr. Mahmoud Anabtawi, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, AUS, stressed the importance of cooperation with the Sharjah Government Media Bureau to develop the Strategic Government Communication Programme.

He said, “We have carefully designed this Program to allow participants the opportunity to fully benefit from the wealth of knowledge provided by expert faculty members, and to enhance strategic communication skills of the participants to meet the requirements of the ever-changing digital world.”

He pointed out that the cooperation initiative with the SGMB is an integral part of the AUS efforts in community participation and building partnerships and relations with various industries and sectors to increase its contribution to the development of the emirate of Sharjah and the UAE.

The lectures are being presented by senior media and communication faculty of the American University of Sharjah, namely Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, Dr. Abeer Al Najjar, Dr. Suhail Dahdal, Dr. Mustafa Taha, and Dr. Harris Breslow.

On the first day of the diploma programme, Prof Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, in a lecture titled “Government Communication as a Strategic Practice”, discussed how to analyse government communication within the strategic directions of the institution, pointing out the importance of setting goals, objectives and key performance indicators based on the message and vision of the institution, including initiatives, operational plans, budget and evaluation.

In his interactive lecture, Prof. Ibrahim reviewed examples of government communication strategies at the national and international levels. Participants have been divided into groups asking them to develop strategic plans for their organisations and identify the main features of government communication practices in their institutions.

The upcoming weekly lectures are set to deal with a number of topics, including government communication in crisis situations, advanced content industry and strategic research, and social media campaigns in government communication.

At the end of the programme, the participants will undergo assessments, which cover both theoretical and practical aspects, after they develop a government communication project, based on certain proposed scenarios, and create media campaigns for the development of government communication programmes, Insights and practical experience.

The Professional Diploma Programme in Strategic Government Communication, launched in partnership with AUS, serves employees of all public relations and media departments, corporate communication professionals in government and private institutions, as well as journalists and editors interested in the fast evolving field of government communication.

The programme introduces participants to crisis communication as a strategic aspect of government communication, and outlines the most important concepts and best practices in crisis communication covering regional and international case studies.

The specialised course aims to enable participants to create advanced content for government communication in accordance with best practices, tools and techniques to create compelling digital media content for government communication, and explains research tools and methodologies used in government communication to enhance engagement with stakeholders in physical and virtual environments.

Participants in the programme use traditional methodologies such as online surveys, focus groups, and social analytics to identify target audiences, develop messages, choose platforms, and publish content. The Program also addresses social media campaigns for government communication identifying and highlighting best practices in planning and implementation of social media campaigns.