The Ras Al Khaimah Government Media Office (RAKGMO) has expanded its partnership with the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) to launch the Junior Reporter Program, designed to nurture young media talent and give students real-world newsroom experience.
The program allows selected Mass Communication students to create professional editorial content, social-first stories, photography, video, and audio that showcase life in Ras Al Khaimah through youth perspectives. Approved outputs will be published on RAKGMO’s Heart of RAK platform and amplified across its channels, giving students both a voice and visibility in the emirate’s evolving story.
Her Excellency Heba Fatani, Director General of RAKGMO, said: “This partnership embodies Ras Al Khaimah’s belief that the future is built by empowering the voices of today’s youth. Through Heart of RAK, we are not only nurturing young storytellers but also shaping a generation that will document and define the Emirate’s journey with authenticity, creativity and purpose.”
AURAK President Professor Bassam Alameddine stressed the academic value of the collaboration: “At AURAK, we are committed to bridging academic learning with real-world experiential learning. This partnership with RAKGMO offers our students a unique opportunity to contribute directly to the media landscape of Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE, while developing the professional skills essential for their careers.”
The agreement was signed at AURAK in the presence of Prof. Imad Hoballah, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations, and Prof. Rachel Matar, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, along with Mass Communication faculty members. Under the structure, Heart of RAK will direct the editorial process with input from AURAK mentors, ensuring all outputs meet strict quality, integrity, and ethics benchmarks.
Rouba Zeidan, Head of Special Projects at RAKGMO, noted: “Our team will work closely with students, reviewing submissions and shaping their insights into professional storytelling. Each article or video contributes to the shared narrative we are building through Heart of RAK.”
Prof. Hoballah added: “This collaboration allows students to move beyond theory and engage with the real-world dynamics of a working newsroom. It enhances classroom learning through experience, sparks peer inspiration and gives students a platform to share their work regionally and globally.”
The Junior Reporter Program will operate on an annual academic cycle with onboarding, pitch sessions, editorial reviews, and a year-end showcase of outstanding student work. Participants will receive official media credentials and mentoring from both academic leaders and industry professionals, modeled on the “teaching hospital” framework originally developed in the U.S.
This marks the second major collaboration between RAKGMO and AURAK, following their joint Saud bin Saqr Broadcast Journalism and TV Production Scholarship Program launched earlier with the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research.
