The Simulation week has been an extraordinary experience; we had to face major challenges and we were totally immersed in the problems and issues – just as a journalist could encounter in the real world.
Do you want to learn how CNN gathers and verifies news?
Do you want to experience how a fast-paced, global newsroom operates?
Would you like the chance to put your journalism skills to the test in a unique newsgathering & storytelling simulation?
Then CNN Academy Abu Dhabi is for you.
CNN Academy Abu Dhabi empowers UAE nationals and residents with storytelling skills they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced media landscape.
CNN Academy Abu Dhabi is open to UAE nationals and residents over the age of 17 who have a background and/or interest in media and multiplatform storytelling.
CNN Academy Abu Dhabi is tuition-free. However, participants need to ensure they can attend workshops and training sessions throughout the program.
The program will be delivered in English, so English proficiency is key.
Applications open: May 5th – June 30th
Selection: July 15th – August 15th
Supported by the Creative Media Authority, CNN Academy Abu Dhabi blends live workshops and interactive webinars led by senior CNN Academy trainers and CNN journalists.
In the first two weeks, participants deepen their understanding of newsroom essentials—Ethics in Journalism, the Art of Storytelling, Breaking News Coverage, and more—building on the foundational courses they’ve completed on the CNN Academy Hub e-learning platform.
The program culminates in our fourth annual Newsroom Simulation at Yas Creative Hub. Over six intensive days, global participants collaborate with top CNN reporters to master impactful storytelling amid a global health crisis.
Divided into competitive teams, they pitch, investigate, and produce a breaking-news package set in a fictional country—putting theory into practice under real-world newsroom pressure.
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During the final week of the program, participants will attend the CNN Academy Newsroom Simulation at the Yas Creative Hub in Abu Dhabi, which this year will focus on crafting impactful stories amid a global health crisis
Across six days participants will attend expert-led talks and hands-on workshops with top CNN journalists – learning how to engage audiences, navigate crisis challenges, and bring clarity to complex health issues.
Participants will be given a chance to put theory into practice, taking part in an intensive, competitive challenge. Working in groups, they’ll investigate and report on a breaking news story in a fictional country.
The Simulation week has been an extraordinary experience; we had to face major challenges and we were totally immersed in the problems and issues – just as a journalist could encounter in the real world.
I was a volunteer for CNN Academy Simulation Week in 2022 and then in 2023 I was a participant. Both perspectives and experiences were amazing and both offered me learnings and challenges, however, as a participant and getting the opportunity to produce a piece and edit, it opened my eyes to so many things. It’s an experience I would never forget!
One of the most beautiful experiences and impactful memories I have had is from CNN Academy Simulation Week. I was the only Emirati in my group and although my teammates came from different cultural backgrounds, we all invested in these differences to create a shared success as a team and work together with one team spirit.
Week 1: September 15th – 19th
Week 2: October 6th – 10th
Creative Media Authority (CMA) is the champion of Abu Dhabi’s vibrant creative sector, with a mandate to develop and empower a sustainable, collaborative and multidisciplinary industry across the emirate. The authority brings together Abu Dhabi’s ecosystem of organizations in sectors such as film and TV production, and digital content.
Creative Media Authority implements an agile, transparent regulatory framework that streamlines processes, enables the private sector, and delivers initiatives and policies that accelerate growth in the industry. By harnessing synergies across the whole sector, it works to develop the best facilities, the best talent and the best opportunities in Abu Dhabi.
CMA oversees established creative organizations including Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Film Commission, as well as training and development initiatives such as Creative Lab and Arab Film Studio.
