Cairo University Develops Successful Media Training Center

Cairo University’s 100-year history as an educational institution has taken a new turn with a new venture—operating a successful media training center with the help of the USAID-funded Egypt Media Development Program (MDP).

MDP staff worked with the staff of Cairo University’s Faculty of Mass Communication and their dean to achieve the faculty’s vision: turning their Media Training Centers (CUTC) into a profit-generating operation. In the past, the CUTC’s four entities—the Center of Communication Training & Documentation, the Public Opinion Research Center, the Research Center of Women Studies, and the Center of Heritage and Documentation—had not succeeded in generating much revenue. Furthermore, the center struggled to attract paying participants.

When IREX/MDP were asked to assist the centers in 2006, experts first moderated a self-assessment session with Cairo University’s management. The participants in that session determined the priorities and action necessary to become profitable. The assessment’s findings were incorporated in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which stipulated that a number of projects and equipment were necessary for reforming the centers.

MDP considered the CUTC strategically important because it not only educates the next generation of Egyptian media practitioners, but it could also cater to media industry professionals outside of the country.

IREX’s experts devised a set of tools to narrow CUTC’s major problems. These management instruments included developing a business and marketing plan, writing job descriptions, creating an organizational chart, conceptualizing curriculum, and creating specific curricula for courses focused on operating a studio on a tight budget, domestic violence, and project management.

The marketing plan was based on customized market research of the media training market in Egypt. Next, a training-of-trainers session was held to update CUTC staff on teaching techniques. In addition, MDP staff provided grant-writing training so CUTC could compete for donor funding.

Ultimately, MDP recommended CUTC consolidate its four training centers under one management team to share resources and decrease operational costs.

To put the plans into practice MDP and CUTC (assisted by IREX staff from the Partnership Program for Democratic Governance, implemented by CARE and funded by USAID) delivered a joint pilot course on blogging, “How to become a famous blogger,” for three days in April 2008 which drew more interested participants than the organization could accommodate. In all, 38 participants completed the course, which has blazed a new trail at a government-affiliated institution that previously shied away from teaching new media and, in particular, blogging. “This course really opened a whole new world for us,” one participant said. More than half the students said they would be interested in taking more blogging courses. “This is what we really needed to talk about [in] my village and let the whole world know it,” another participant said. Its success was partly due to the fact that all of the instructors were Egyptian, which meant the course was relevant to and easily accessible for the participants, who gave it positive reviews. The course itself generated more publicity for CUTC among journalists both inside Egypt and in other countries.

The venture also yielded valuable insight for the marketing and operational plans developed by Dr. Maha Mourad, CUTC’s marketing consultant. IREX/MDP staff used the experience to produce an operations manual as a guide to effective business operation for CUTC.

MDP has supported other successful CUTC courses, including: “What women want: Women’s views on media,” “Radio Week,” “Advanced radio manager training,” and “Project management and fundraising.”

MDP purchased equipment for CUTC according to the needs the CUTC staff identified as top priorities for the business, and this studio and computer equipment will help the program to remain sustainable and technologically up-to-date.
Dr. Samia Ahmed Ali, CUTC’s new manager, has started to implement MDP’s suggested development plan which has already led to an increase in revenue. To attract more participants, IREX suggested that the CUTC host new media awareness sessions for prospective clients, particularly as CUTC is recognized as the go-to new media technology training center in Egypt. In addition, with CUTC’s newly enhanced international reputation as a high-caliber training facility, Dr. Samia was able to attract foreign media professionals from as far away as Moldova and Uzbekistan to the center.

The Media Development Program (MDP) is implemented by Management Systems International in partnership with IREX, CARE, and D3 Systems. As part of the project, IREX works with media outlets and training institutes to improve the professionalism and sustainability of Egypt’s media sector. MDP offers training, consulting, and equipment assistance to Egyptian print and electronic media as well as to universities and other media support organizations.