Abu Dhabi’s Creative Media Authority (CMA) has welcomed 95 students from CNN Academies around the world to join 45 locally based students in the CNN Academy Simulation Week, as the fourth successful cycle of CNN Academy Abu Dhabi comes to a close.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President and Chief Executive Officer of UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), set the scene for the start of the Simulation Week with an opening address and masterclass entitled Illuminating the Path: AI, Sustainability, and the Stories Yet to Be Told.

Sheikha Shamma Al Nahyan said: “We are at a pivotal moment where artificial intelligence meets sustainability, two of the most compelling stories of our time. AI isn't a magic solution for all environmental issues, but it holds immense potential. Imagine smart factories that prevent waste or AI systems optimising city power grids in real-time. However, there's a paradox – while these AI systems consume significant energy, this will also create inequality, as some communities will benefit while others bear the environmental burden. As students of the CNN Academy, your role as storytellers is vital in shedding light on these complexities and nuances."

Students previously attended other masterclasses hosted by creative, digital and executive leaders including His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications in the UAE; His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC); Bill Gates, Former CEO of Microsoft; Dr Enrico Natalizio, Chief ResearcherAaraj, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Technology Innovation Institute (TII); and Becky Anderson, Managing Editor of CNN Abu Dhabi and anchor of Connect the World with Becky Anderson.

The 2024 CNN Academy Abu Dhabi, which commenced in September, comprised engaging workshops on AI-related topics including Ethics in Journalism; The Art of Storytelling; Mobile Storytelling; Introduction to AI; Digital Storytelling; Scriptwriting; Story Pitching; Locations Scouting with Abu Dhabi Film Commission; Newsgathering and Verification Best Practices; Writing for TV; Creating a TV Package with CNN Correspondent and Open Source Reporting, as well as virtual sessions on Open Source Reporting and News Photography.

During Simulation Week, students faced with common sources of online disinformation including simulated phising attacks, deepfake videos and phone conversations, and more, as teams of five people worked to uncover the truth and produce their story while putting all their knowledge from the previous 11 weeks into practice. This global gathering of aspiring journalists converged on Abu Dhabi from CNN Academy initiatives worldwide.  Students from CNN Academy Abu Dhabi, CNN Academy Erbil, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Howard University, University College Dublin, University of Florida and University of Nottingham Malaysia, formed a diverse group hailing from 20 different countries. 95 international participants flew into Abu Dhabi to collaborate with the 45 local participants ensuring a global meeting of 140 young minds.

Mohamed Dobay, Acting Director-General of Creative Media Authority (CMA), said: “CNN Academy Abu Dhabi continues to be a key driver in developing the future talent of journalism and creative industries. Now, more than ever, succeeding in these industries whilst navigating the challenges faced by the spread of disinformation, which will become a key part of the future of responsible journalism and storytelling.

“As we reflect on the fourth successful year of CNN Academy Abu Dhabi and the wealth of knowledge and opportunity it affords students in the UAE and across the world to embrace, we are honoured to have been joined by such an esteemed list of speakers throughout the 12 weeks, and continue to explore opportunities such as partnering with HCT to continue to increase the reach and impact of the initiative, developing young talent and preparing them for their creative futures.”

Phil Nelson, Executive Vice President, CNN International Commercial, said: “It is impressive and inspiring to see the work produced by the participants during the simulation. The scale and depth of the training provided by the journalists and technical staff at CNN is complemented by the amazing facilities and infrastructure offered by our partners at CMA in Abu Dhabi. This group of students marks our largest yet and it’s wonderful to see so many from our CNN Academy initiatives around the world gathering and learning from each other, and the CNN experts, to enhance their skillset and hopefully further their careers.”

Sukayna Kazmi, Participant of CNN Academy Abu Dhabi Cohort 2024, said: “It’s an amazing opportunity to actually be present in that room and gain those insights knowing there’s is a man there who is literally such a big part of history and there is so much that we will be able to take from that session.”

Reem Al Mazrouei, Participant of CNN Academy Abu Dhabi Cohort 2024, said: “I learnt from CNN Academy the importance of being a journalist and how important to be accountable and transparent throughout my work as a journalist, and I was exposed to multiple different ways into creating content.”

Launched in Abu Dhabi in 2020, CNN Academy is designed to empower and upskill the next generation of journalists in multiplatform storytelling. The training is led by CNN’s anchors, correspondents and technical specialists from around the world.

Earlier in 2024, CMA announced that CNN Academy Abu Dhabi would partner with Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) to provide academic assessment and course merits for students – bridging the gap between education and private sector for the benefit of students and their fledgling careers into media.

Applications for 2025-26 cohort will open at the end of Q2 2025 via the CNN Academy website. For further information, visit: cma.gov.ae/cnn-academy.