Based at twofour54 tadreeb, the twofour54 gaming academy in partnership with Ubisoft is scheduled to welcome its first intake of full-time students in March 2012. It will allow them to receive international standard training to prepare them for a career in the digital gaming industry; one of the fastest growing sectors within the media industry generally and especially in the Middle East.

Under the agreement, Ubisoft will establish a games development studio at twofour54. This studio will provide exciting job and talent development opportunities for graduates of the Academy as well as other games developers looking to create games that have universal appeal.

“Digital gaming has always been a priority sector for twofour54 and to partner with an international market leader such as Ubisoftis great news for the region’s gaming industry,” commented Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer, twofour54. “The digital games played by Arabs have traditionally been developed outside the region, which means that they rarely have a direct relevance to Arab gamers. Our agreement with Ubisoft will benefit the region in that it will enable the development of titles with universal appeal, whilst also building the skills of young Arabs to allow the region to create its own games and developing a gaming industry base here at twofour54.”

Ubisoft has the second largest in-house development staff in the world, employing more than 5,400 developers in studios around the world. The young students that sign up to be part of the new academy will have the opportunity to engage with these experts who will provide the guidance, knowledge and tools required to ensure that their gaming ideas turn from concept into reality.

Yannick Theler, a ten-year veteran at Ubisoft has been chosen to manage the new studio.  Yannick’s experience at Ubisoft began at Ubisoft Switzerland as Marketing & Sales Directorbefore being appointed Vice President of Business Development for Ubisoft’s China activities and most recently served as Human Resources Director of Ubisoft Shanghai. 

“We are excited by the partnership with twofour54. Their commitment to developing a strong regional gaming industry and their knowledge of the region were the perfect foundation on which to continue building our development teams,” said Christine Burgess-Quémard, executive director, worldwide studios at Ubisoft.  “The demographics and the pool of skilled technical talent in the Middle East and North Africa region are key factors that will contribute to the success of this new studio.”

To register your interest in the twofour54 Gaming Academy, please visit twofour54 tadreeb.

The Cartoon Network Animation Academy is central to twofour54's on-going efforts to support the development of the Middle East's animation industry by empowering young UAE Nationals and Arabs with the international standard animation skills necessary to build successful long-term careers across all areas of the media industry.   

Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at twofour54 commented on the graduation, saying, “The animation industry across television, film, gaming and digital is one of the fastest growing media disciplines across the region.  As part of our ongoing efforts to encourage young Arabs to pursue careers in the media and entertainment industry, twofour54 has been instrumental in connecting these graduates with leading companies to help secure long-term career opportunities. Almost half of the first group of graduates have jobs to go to before the class has even finished, which highlights the quality of the instruction they have received.”

Michael Carrington, Turner Broadcasting Chief Content Officer (EMEA), added, ‪"The graduation ceremony recognises the achievements of a class of extremely dedicated and talented students who have completed the 12 month Animation Production programme and have graduated as fully-fledged animators.  Cartoon Network Animation Academy courses give students world-class animation training, and also reflect the culture, values and heritage of the region. The course equips students with the skills and knowledge required to work across a variety of media sectors.  And I'm excited that this week a fresh intake of students commenced classes as part of the second Animation Production programme".‪

Prior to the graduation ceremony on 21 September, twofour54 hosted an employer open day at the CNAA, giving students the opportunity to showcase their work and skills to potential employers.  Attended by key organisations from across the UAE, the day saw students presenting their animation projects and finding out more about job prospects in the UAE and beyond.

Based at twofour54’s Khalifa Park campus in Abu Dhabi, the CNAA delivers practical and industry relevant animation training in one of the most dynamic and fastest growing media disciplines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. 

The CNAA academy offers academically intensive animation courses, which have been specifically designed by training academy, twofour54 tadreeb, Cartoon Network, a part of Turner Broadcasting System, and the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) at Bournemouth University (UK), to meet the needs of this unique industry.  Delivered by expert instructors that have worked in some of the world’s biggest animation studios such as Warner Bros Animation, Turner Studios, and Walt Disney, the academy equips students with the animation skills and training to compete professionally across a wide-range of media sectors including gaming, television, film and beyond.

As part of the deal, twofour54 tadreeb has also entered into a long term co-operation agreement, which will enable it to access the Institute’s internationally accredited Diploma and Bachelor Degree programmes.

This acquisition investment adds significant flexibility to twofour54 tadreeb's existing structure of training programmes, which is provided by twofour54's international partners including BBC, Thomson Reuters, Apple, Thomson Foundation, RFI, INA, Adobe and Cartoon Network. Importantly, the new portfolio of courses will allow twofour54 tadreeb to fast track UAE Nationals into the job market by equipping them with the knowledge and skills they require to build a career in the region’s growing media industry.

"The investment and long term co-operation with the SAE Institute gives us access to over 30 years’ experience of providing educational services to students and professionals in creative media and workforce education," commented Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at twofour54. "This, coupled with the partnerships we already have with many of the world’s leading media training organisations, will bring tremendous benefits to the region’s media industry and significantly to young UAE Nationals and Arabs who are interested in building a career in the media industry."

"twofour54 tadreeb will now be able offer an even wider range of academic and vocational courses; supporting our ongoing aim of strengthening the Arabic talent pool across the region, which is vital for sustainable growth as the region’s media industry evolves and becomes increasingly competitive."

Located in Knowledge Village, SAE Institute Dubai is part of an international network of private colleges for Audio Production, Film Production, Interactive Animation and Applied Multimedia offering Bachelors and Masters Degrees in areas such as Audio Production, Film, Animation and Gaming. SAE Institute was originally founded in Sydney, Australia and was the first to offer practical audio education in 1976. SAE now spans over 50 locations around the world, offering specialised vocational and higher education courses.

Speaking on behalf of Navitas Group, the world leader in the development and provision of educational services and learning solutions, who acquired SAE Group in 2010, Rod Jones, CEO commented "This acquisition of the SAE Dubai business by twofour54 is an acknowledgement of the high quality education and training offered by SAE".

He continued,  "We are very excited to be a part of this amazing Abu Dhabi Government initiative and look forward to working with, twofour54 and their other partners such as the BBC and CNN to deliver work ready and professional graduates."

twofour54 tadreeb provides international standard, bi-lingual training courses in partnership with some of the world’s leading media organizations. Courses are offered across a wide range of media disciplines including: television; broadcast technology; journalism; digital media and convergence; radio; media business; animation; and production. 

The academy currently offers over 200 bi-lingual courses, all of which are results driven and practically-focused. Programmes are designed to be measurable so that, on completion, individuals will immediately see improvements in their performance, which will ultimately have a positive impact on their company’s business.

More than 2,000 media professionals will attend what has become one of the most influential events in the Middle East, providing a vital platform to bring together the leaders of the industry to debate and discuss the evolving media landscape in the Arab world.  Topics set to be high on the agenda for 2011 include the emergence of multi-platform convergence and the growing trend towards open-source culture.

“With the emergence of a new digitalised media landscape it is becoming increasingly important for organisations to equip staff with the knowledge and skill set required to compete,” explained Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer, twofour54. “Using our local insight and expertise, combined with comprehensive international standard training, twofour54 is helping media companies across the region to do just this.”

“twofour54 tadreeb recognises the importance of the Arab Media Forum and is proud to sponsor its 10^th anniversary. Over the past decade the forum has without doubt become a must-attend event as it creates the opportunity to address the issues that are impacting the development of the region’s media industry,” he added.

twofour54 tadreeb’s training academy is supporting the region’s media industry through this development. Its world-class media training and its ability to engage with industry leaders to raise awareness of the possibilities of this new multiplatform environment, means that twofour54 tadreeb is helping to raise standards across the Middle East and North Africa media industry.

twofour54 tadreeb provides international standard, bilingual training courses in partnership with some of the world’s leading media organisations including the BBC, Thomson Foundation, Thomson Reuters, Apple, Adobe, RFI and INA. Courses are offered across a wide range of media disciplines including: television; broadcast technology; journalism; digital media and convergence; radio; media business; animation; and production.  Plans are also in place to extend this offering to include web application and design. 

The academy currently offers over 200 bilingual courses, all of which are results driven and practically-focused. Programmes are designed to add value so that, on completion, media professionals will immediately see improvements in their performance, which will ultimately have a positive impact on their company’s business.

The one-year, full-time training course, which will commence on May 15^th  at the Cartoon Network Animation Academy’s  at twofour54 tadreeb, is now open for entry to anyone with a passion for animation and who is interested in receiving practical training  from the first academy of its kind anywhere in the world.

The Cartoon Network Academy is also offering scholarships to students interested in taking the course. Open to individuals of all nationalities over the age of 18, the financial incentive will support people looking to pursue a rewarding career in the media and entertainment industry.  Interested individuals will be required to undertake an interview with the animation team and provide a portfolio of work, with scholarships to be awarded based on creative merit.

Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at twofour54 said: “Animation is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing media disciplines in the region and the Cartoon Network Animation Production course is specially tailored to provide creative individuals, who are passionate about animation, the opportunity of hands-on experience through an academically intensive programme. The course has been specifically designed to equip the students with the skills required to compete across a range of sectors such as gaming, television and film.”

The course has been designed by twofour54’s training academy, twofour54 tadreeb, in conjunction with its key partners, Cartoon Network, a part of Turner Broadcasting System and the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) at Bournemouth University (UK). It  delivers proven techniques and practices employed internationally that will produce high-quality animators from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“The scholarships are testament to twofour54’s ongoing support of the region’s media industry talent pool. Through training and funding we are actively engaging with young Arabs, school leavers and college graduates to encourage and support them to enter careers in the media and entertainment industry,” added Wayne Borg.

The Cartoon Network Academy, in partnership with twofour54 tadreeb, offers practical and industry relevant training using state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in order to develop both the creative and technical skills that students require to become world class animators. The Animation Production Course is taught by expert instructors, who have worked in some of the world’s biggest animation studios, including the BBC and Walt Disney.

For further information including details on how to apply please visit:

http://tadreeb.twofour54.com

The Young Media Leaders initiative, now in its fourth year, is supported by the Patron & President of ADMAF His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. It is operated in partnership with twofour54 tadreeb, the training academy of Abu Dhabi’s media content creation community, twofour54. 

Young Media Leaders seeks to encourage the direct involvement and participation of high achieving Emirati university students based in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, who are in their second and third years of study. Through a series of workshops affiliated to the Thomson Foundation and Thomson Reuters Foundation, they acquire a broad range of media skills and techniques.

In addition, students have the opportunity to meet and discuss with leading international and local industry professionals, including inspiring figures such as Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, The Nationals’ Editor in Chief Hassan Fatah, Erik Mackinz from the Thomson Foundation, Nancy Durham from the Thomson Reuters Foundation and CBC reporter, judge at the Emmy Awards Tareef Sayed, Turki Dakheel who discussed his experience at Al Arabia TV, Zahi Wehbi who highlighted his experience at Future TV in Lebanon and his program “Khalelek bel Beit”. 

Gaby Ltaif also shared her vast experience and discussed details of her career in the media as the youngest and first Lebanese woman presenter to becoming a famous radio presenter at France 24 and Radio Monte Carlo in France.

Since its launch in September 2007, no less than 95 students have graduated from ADMAF’s Young Media Leaders initiative.  These students have gained experience, insight and understanding of the local, regional and global media industry, having participated in a total of 80 workshops and covering over 120 events including workshops, lectures, trainings, conducting interviews and by covering media events.  Students have also had the chance to meet and interview high profile visitors such as Her Excellency Princess Mathilde, Wife of the Crown Prince of Belgium during her visit to the UAE.

Through the Young Media Leaders, students were also able to attend organised trips to top leading international media organizations in France and Belgium, and participate in visits to the Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysee in France, the media centre of the European Union in Belgium, in addition to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in New York. 

By May 2011, Young Media Leaders will have given 110 Emirati students the chance to be able to take their first steps as media professionals.

Last year alone, a total of 35 students from Zayed University, UAE University, Abu Dhabi Women’s College (HCT) and Abu Dhabi Men’s College (HCT) took part, and experienced a vast range of media roles first-hand including photojournalism, website development and journalistic reporting.

The students were able to practice both their natural and newly acquired journalistic skills by publishing the Young Media Leaders Magazine, for which they covered a variety of art and culture events including the Abu Dhabi Festival 2010, where they produced two festival newsletters.  They also created a dedicated student website: www.mynews.ae, designed to showcase student works and allowing them to explore and experiment with the online and digital media sectors.

This year, Young Media Leaders welcomes 15 students from tertiary institutions who will all benefit from the expertise and talent of regional and international industry professionals, as well as access to state-of-the-art equipment, training rooms, and media studios.  The range of courses will include: website design and development; photo and video journalism; how to cover arts event; the art of the interview; TV presentation skills; and the art of the profile.  Certificates will also be given to top performing students from international leading media organizations such as the Thomson Reuters  Foundation and the Thomson Foundation.

Mrs. Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, said:

“The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation has a year-round education programme that is designed to inspire and engage with people of all ages across the Emirates.  The Young Media Leaders initiative forms an integral part of this programme as it aims to support local talent and help shape the media leaders of tomorrow.

“The Young Media Leaders is a dynamic and important educational scheme and the only initiative of its type in Abu Dhabi, which encourages young nationals to tell the story of their country by guiding them into a media career.

“We are dedicated to playing a role in helping to empower local talent within the media industry, and are incredibly proud to launch another year of the programme together with our delivery partner twofour54 tadreeb.  We offer our ongoing support and encouragement to all those participating, and look forward to seeing their work as it materialises throughout the year.”

Ms. Noura Al Kaabi, from twofour54, said:

“We are extremely proud of our alliance with ADMAF, and are very pleased to be able to work with the organization in its ongoing efforts to support young Emirati talent within the media industry. Equipping students with the knowledge and tools required to become the media leaders of tomorrow, is crucial in creating a sustainable media industry for the entire region. Through our alliance with ADMAF we look forward to further facilitating the development of world-class Arabic content across the Middle East and North Africa.”

The  new courses on offer at twofour54 tadreeb mean that experienced media professionals, graphic designers or individuals such as university graduates looking to enhance existing skills or seeking to develop new skill sets, now have access to certified Adobe training programmes in Arabic and English including; Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

“The addition of these software application training courses further strengthens our considerable portfolio of training programmes,” commented Tony Orsten, CEO, twofour54. “All of our courses are intended to be flexible and affordable, with courses offered during evenings and weekends, both at our Abu Dhabi based training academy or at a client’s premises anywhere in the Middle East and North Africa region.”

Commenting on the partnership, Abdallah Saqqa, general manager for Adobe Systems MENA said, “Through twofour54, Abu Dhabi has illustrated a clear commitment to growing the media and entertainment industries for the Middle East region and is working to foster a thriving community here in the capital. For Adobe, this presents an exciting opportunity to be part of developing a culture of creativity and we are delighted to be partnering with twofour54 tadreeb to offer a range of Adobe training courses to the industry. We look forward to welcoming experienced professionals through to students and new graduates onto our courses, equipping them with software skills to get ahead in their chosen careers.”

twofour54 tadreeb offers a comprehensive range of professional training programmes designed to equip delegates with the specific industry skills required for best practice in their given media sector.

twofour54 tadreeb provides international standard, bi-lingual training courses across a wide range of media disciplines, covering the full media spectrum including Television; Broadcast Technology; Journalism; Digital Media; Radio; Media Business and Production. 

The academy currently offers over 200 bi-lingual courses, all of which are outcome driven, practically-focused and of an international standard. Plans are also in place to extend this offering to include Animation, Web Application and Design, Games Development and Media Business courses as new training providers are identified.

 Programmes are designed to add value, so that on completion, media professionals will immediately see improvements in their performance, which will ultimately have a positive impact on their company’s business. In addition to a wide range of courses, the training academy also offers clients a bespoke consultancy service which focuses on assessing an organisation's needs around archiving and multimedia requirements and delivering tailor-made solutions to assist them in achieving their business goals.

Media professionals working throughout the Middle East will now have access to a range of world class training solutions including archiving and media management consultancy services. These courses add value to organizations that need to effectively preserve their audio visual history. Media companies can now address with confidence one of the key challenges that they face, the management of their digital content; ensuring it is available on the right device, at the right place, time and in the right format.

“The alliance with INA is another boost for twofour54 tadreeb,” commented Tony Orsten, CEO twofour54. “As one of the world’s most respected authorities in audiovisual and digital archiving, the addition of these courses strengthens further our considerable portfolio of media training and related courses, which are available to sound and image professionals across the Middle East and North Africa region.”

David Hivet, Business Development Director, INA added: "The media industry across the MENA region is rapidly developing, and through this strategic partnership with twofour54 tadreeb we look forward to serving the interests of the industry and improving the skills of its professionals. We are confident that both INA and twofour54 tadreeb share the same vision and we are committed to working with the academy to provide quality training programmes and consultancy services to media professionals across the region."

twofour54 tadreeb offers a comprehensive range of professional training programmes designed to equip delegates with the specific industry skills required for best practice in their given media sector.

twofour54 tadreeb provides international standard, bi-lingual training courses across a wide range of media disciplines including Television; Broadcast Technology; Journalism; Digital Media; Radio; Media Business and Production. 

The academy currently offers over 200 bi-lingual courses, all of which are outcome driven, practically-focused and of an international standard. Plans are also in place to extend this offering to include Animation, Web Application and Design, Games Development and Media Business courses as new training providers are identified.

Programmes are designed to add value, so that on completion, media professionals will immediately see improvements in their performance, which will ultimately have a positive impact on their company’s business. In addition to a wide range of courses, the training academy also offers clients a bespoke consultancy service which focuses on assessing an organization's needs around archiving and multimedia requirements and delivering tailor-made solutions to assist them in achieving their business goals.

“Since opening our doors in early 2009 we have hosted over 60 courses for approaching 1,000 delegates and we are very pleased to be able to extend our English, Arabic and French course offering to media professionals across Middle East and North Africa” added Tony Orsten, CEO twofour54.

The five-day course was held at the Millennium Sharjah Hotel, commencing on 10 January and concluding on 14 January 2010. The course was aimed at teaching the Authority's advertising and marketing department staff how to deal with the media in order to deliver effective messages to the media and public and to educate employees on the various skills and techniques required to plan and launch successful media campaigns.

Speaking of the initiative, SCTDA Director General, Mohammed Ali Al Noman, said, "Media relations skills are vital to any organization that deals with the media on a regular basis and every staff member of such an organization must be familiar with the rules of the media game. A balance between and integration of source and medium are paramount to the success of any media campaign and our purpose in presenting this training opportunity to our advertising and marketing staff is to equip them with the necessary skills to attain that balance. The SCTDA is passionate about delivering effective communication to its publics and ensuring that its members of staff are well equipped to perform the actions required in order to attain the desired results, which is why we teamed up with the TwoFour54 and the Thomson Foundation, one of the world's premier media organizations, to organize and present this course."