New Media Development Center course to build capacities in economic journalism

The Media Development Center at Birzeit University has recently launched a series of classes aimed at building up the capacities of media graduates and professionals in business journalism in Palestine. 

The three-week course, funded by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, features experts in business journalism and public relations who will train participants on interviewing, radio broadcasting, and written- and visual-content production. 

Nibal Thawabteh, director of the Media Development Center, explained that these modules are part of the center’s many offerings — lectures, workshops, seminars, and symposiums — that target media students and professionals. The center, Thawabteh added, is continuously developing its programs and courses to help keep Palestinian journalists and media experts abreast of the latest developments in the international and local media landscape. 

Khalid Saleem, the Media Development Center’s editor and coordinator of the business journalism curriculum, highlighted the role the center plays in building the capacities and skills of Palestinian journalism students and media professionals. “The fact that more than 150 media graduates applied for these courses points to a real need for specialized courses that complement the skills and knowledge conveyed by Palestinian universities and institutes,” Saleem added. 

The business journalism courses focus on three main areas: economic indicators, data journalism, and economic-news production.