Faculty of Mass Communication at Sana’a University Holds Workshop to Update PhD. Programs

Sana’a, Yemen – May 11, 2025 – Faculty of Mass Communication at Sana’a University today, held a scholarly workshop aimed at updating its PhD. programs across the departments of Journalism and Electronic Publishing, Radio and Television, and Public Relations and Advertising. This initiative aligns with the faculty’s strategic plan to develop its programs, curricula, and academic courses, ultimately striving for academic and media excellence.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Omar Da’er, the Faculty Dean, emphasized that the modernization of the PhD. programs within these departments represents a qualitative leap forward. He stated that the goal is to align academic outcomes with the advancements of the digital age and the demands of the media job market.

Dr. Da’er added, “This update follows a rigorous academic review of the previous programs and involved the participation of distinguished academics and specialists. This ensures that the graduates of these programs are well-versed in technological and media transformations and capable of contributing to the development of media practice and scientific research in Yemen and the wider region.”

He further noted that the faculty, through this step, seeks to enhance its academic standing and produce researchers equipped with critical thinking skills and digital analysis capabilities.

The Dean talked about the importance of partnerships with media and professional organizations to realize the faculty’s vision of becoming a leading academic hub for modern media education.

For his part, Dr. Mahdi Haidar, the Faculty’s Vice Dean for Quality and Academic Development, affirmed that the process of updating the doctoral programs in Journalism and Electronic Publishing, Radio and Television, and Public Relations and Advertising underscores the faculty’s commitment to strengthening academic quality standards and institutional accreditation.

He explained that “the update is based on a scientific vision and benchmarked against Arab and international academic standards. It takes into account the needs of the job market and the evolving media landscape, ensuring the graduation of research competencies capable of producing sound scientific output and engaging with the challenges of the digital age.”

Dr. Haidar also highlighted the faculty’s efforts to harmonize its programs with national and regional standards, while actively seeking feedback from academics, students, experts, and employers who attended the workshop. This feedback mechanism aims to ensure the programs effectively address the needs of both the academic and professional communities.

The workshop included the distribution of questionnaires to faculty members, employers, and Master’s and doctoral researchers to gather their input on program specifications in accordance with academic accreditation standards.

The workshop was attended by Dr. Hussein Jaghman, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Postgraduate Studies; Professor Ali Al-Ammar, Head of the Department of Journalism and Electronic Publishing; Professor Mohammed Al-Faqih, Head of the Department of Radio and Television; Dr. Abdulrahim Al-Shawari, Head of the Department of Public Relations and Advertising; faculty members; representatives from the University’s Development and Quality Assurance Center, including Dr. Munir Al-Azani and Dr. Manser Al-Sabari; and employers from print, radio, and television media organizations, as well as public relations managers from various governmental and private entities.