His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, said Dubai’s media must deepen engagement with leading global institutions and integrate cutting-edge innovation to keep pace with rapid shifts in the international media landscape and ensure the emirate remains a key player in shaping the future of the industry.

Chairing a meeting of the Dubai Media Council, His Highness reviewed recent initiatives launched under a new strategy focused onaccelerating the sector’s development and aligning it with Dubai’s vision for leadership in vital industries.

His Highness stressed the need for stronger collaboration across the sector to ensure it supports Dubai’s global ambitions. “We want Dubai’s media sector to match the city’s stature on the world stage, not only through high-quality content, but also by its ability to contribute to the global discourse,” he said.

He also highlighted the significant positive impact of the Mohammed bin Rashid Scholarship for Emirati Media Students in empowering national talent, particularly youth, by equipping them with the knowledgeand skills to drive the next phase of growth in Emirati media. “Our youth must be empowered not just to participate but to lead, by producing content that is innovative, authentic, and deeply rooted in our culture, yet competitive at a global level,” His Highness added.

The meeting reviewed the recent UK engagement of participants from the Dubai Media Council’s Media Leadership Programme. Delegates engaged with leading organisations such as Google, the Financial Times, Sky News, and the Thomson Foundation, gaining valuable insights into communication best practices, digital transformation and emerging media technologies.

Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, noted that international programmes such as the UK engagement are vital to achieving the Council’s vision for a globally connected and future-ready media sector.“These programmes provide opportunities for emerging media leaders to exchange ideas with seasonedglobal professionals, and understand how world-class media systems operate in practice,” she said. “They also serve as platforms for building lasting relationships that support Dubai’s goals to advance strategic communication, creative content development, and media innovation.”

Her Excellency also highlighted that the development of Dubai Media Incorporated is progressing in line with a comprehensive strategy, positioning it as a leading player in the region’s evolving media landscape.

The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of the Mohammed bin Rashid Scholarship for Emirati Media Students, which recently opened applications for its third edition for the 2025–2026 academic year. Her Excellency Nehal Badri, Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council, noted that the programme will be expanded to include more prestigious global universities. She stressed the importance of introducing media training at the school level to foster early awareness and help students prepare for a future career in the field.

“Young people are the foundation of our development plans,” Her Excellency said. “They are very close to the pulse of new media and the technologies driving change. Our mission is to nurture this talent pipeline early, starting in schools, and equip our young people with the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to lead the future of media, both in the UAE, the Arab world and on the world stage.”

She added that the Council is intensifying efforts to build meaningful partnerships with global media institutions to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise and opennew avenues for growth and innovation in Dubai’s media sector.

The meeting was attended by Council members: His Excellency Malek Al Malek, Her Excellency Aisha Miran, His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, His Excellency Mohammed Al Mulla, Younus Abdulaziz Al Nasser, Arif Amiri, and Hesham Al Olama.