Media Trust, UNIMAID Partner to enhance quality of journalism training

Media Trust Limited has collaborated with the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) to bolster the quality of journalism training. During a visit, Media Trust’s Editorial Director, Malam Ibrahim Shehu Adamu, emphasized the aim of strengthening their decades-long partnership and adopting innovative methods to produce market-ready graduates.

Since their partnership began, the institutions have provided automatic employment for top graduates, scholarships for female students, and internship opportunities. Adamu highlighted the need to update curricula to reflect the shift towards digital media, pointing to Media Trust’s "converged digital newsroom" as a model for integrating various media operations.

Media Trust plans to support UNIMAID through webinars, mentorship, and facility visits for lecturers to keep them updated on modern demands. The company is also shifting its recruitment strategy, focusing on a trainee program for passionate graduates rather than solely hiring top graduates who often leave for better opportunities.

Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Prof. Abubakar Mu'azu, noted the faculty's efforts to design market-relevant programs but expressed concern over the Nigerian Universities Commission's (NUC) unbundling of the Mass Communication department, warning against rigid specialization that could disadvantage graduates.

Faculty members urged Media Trust to establish a research unit to investigate industry trends and create pathways for students to gain practical publishing experience before graduation. Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a stronger synergy to prepare Nigerian journalists for the digital age, AI, and global media demands.