Zayed University young talents praised at ENEX General Assembly

Three students from Zayed University showcased their exceptional multimedia and production talents during the ENEX, European News Exchange, General Assembly, which was held recently at the Grand Habtoor Hotel.

The event, hosted by Leading Pan-Arab Broadcaster Al Arabiya, ran for the first time in the Middle East, bringing 54 members of leading global news television broadcasters, content providers and news gatherers together to share content and resources to ensure distinctive and complex news distribution, exclusivity and cost-efficiency.

Amal Almulla, Mariam Al Awadhi, and Shurouq Lashkri, Multimedia and Video Production Zayed University senior students, took to the stage alongside Nadia Rahman, Associate Professor at Zayed University, during the "UAE Media Makers of Tomorrow" session, when they talked about the skills Emirati women employ in multimedia and society in general.

Rahman spoke about Emirati women's role in media, saying that it has evolved enormously over the recent years. "I'm proud to be part of a team that produces a line of media professionals from Zayed University, it's wonderful to see your students become famous TV presenters, join the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts in New York to complete their MFA, and graduate to fill faculty positions at ZU."

"The college of communications at ZU, guided by the directives of Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, President of Zayed University, hosts state-of-the-art facilities that outline our drive to educate future leaders of a knowledge-based society. Today, Zayed University runs a photography studio and a television studio, and is now starting an intercollege radio station. Therefore, we go all-out to keep up with the relevant industry standards and the vastly developing outside world." Rahman said.

Enjoyed by thousands of social media followers, Shurouq Lashkri, news reporter at Dubai TV, has covered several events and exhibitions, conducted interviews with celebrities, edited hundreds of videos, and written news stories.

"I aim to reach a very high position in the government someday, thanks to our wise leaders for teaching us to believe that nothing is impossible and that we could chase our dream. I enjoy many opportunities, and I am covered with confidence that one day I’ll serve this beautiful country as a minister," Lashkri said.

Amal Almulla, multimedia senior student at Zayed University, introduced Zajel ZU, a student media outlet. She contributes to the portal as Zayed University's first ever news reporter, highlighting different university stories, general UAE topics, and international updates.

She aspires to become a TV presenter in the near future, "I’ve recently interned with MBC Group where I’ve gained experience in pre-production, production and post-production practices, something which I enjoy extremely," Almulla said.

Mariam Al Awadhi, who is currently working on making a short documentary film for international film festivals, focused on presenting a pleasant image of UAE culture and society to the world.

"It is unfortunate that the international media misrepresent Arabs worldwide, they play an effective role to portray that, and I, therefore, seek to encounter the false tidings," she said.

"I swam with sharks, fully covered, to show Emirati women as adventurous and outgoing to the outside world, and that our social character is not a boundary, and we can do anything," she said.

Al Awadhi said that during her four years' education period at Zayed University, she has worked on making various short videos for university projects as well as corporate entities.

The meeting was attended by hundreds of television news managers, broadcast specialists and students.