The Fourth Arab Forum for Postgraduate Students in Media and Communication Studies has commenced at the University, hosted by the College of Arts and Social Sciences under the patronage of His Excellency Prof. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Futaisi, Advisor to the Vice Chancellor.

This forum is organised in collaboration between the Department of Media at the College, the Institute of Press and Information Sciences at Manouba University in Tunisia, and Abdelhamid Ben Badis University in Mostaganem, Algeria. It brings together a distinguished group of researchers and academics to discuss the latest developments in the fields of media and communication.

In his opening speech, Prof. Abdullah bin Khamis Al-Kindi, Head of the Media Department, emphasised the significance of the forum in promoting scientific research and knowledge exchange among postgraduate students across the Arab world. He also highlighted the role of media in addressing contemporary challenges and the necessity of developing academic studies to keep pace with digital and professional transformations in the field.

Meanwhile, Prof. Nour-Eddine Miladi, Head of the Arab Network for Media and Communication Sciences and Professor of Media and Communication in the Department of Media, delivered a speech in which he addressed key research advancements in media and communication. He stressed the importance of fostering cooperation between researchers and academic institutions in the Arab world and enhancing innovation in media studies to align with the developments of the digital age.

The forum’s keynote lecture, titled "A Critical Approach to Arab Scientific Research in Media and Communication: Challenges and Paths to Development," was delivered by Prof. Marwan Kraidy, Dean and Executive Director of Northwestern University in Qatar. He underscored the need to move beyond Western intellectual dependency and explored ways to achieve this, advocating for the development of locally derived theoretical frameworks in media studies and the ambition to export them to the West.

It is worth noting that this forum is one of the leading academic events in the Arab world, bringing together researchers and academics to discuss the latest advancements in media and communication. It plays a vital role in advancing scientific research and strengthening the contribution of media to societal development.