KUALA LUMPUR: International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) communications students were given an insight into newsroom operations today, thanks to four Khazanah Wolfson Press Fellows.
They were part of day-long programme led by Business Times editor Muhammed Ahmad Hamdan, New Straits Times specialist writer Iylia Marsya Iskandar, Borneo Post business reporter James Wong and Astro Awani journalist Shafizan Johari.
The Khazanah Residency Programme (KRP) “POV: Your Work in Comms”, was hosted by IIUM’s Department of Communication, Abdul Hamid Abu Sulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), with more than 70 students from the department taking part.
AHAS KIRHS dean Professor Dr Hafiz Zakariya thanked Khazanah Nasional Bhd for choosing the department for the programme, saying the engagement with industry practitioners allowed students to understand how academic knowledge is applied in the real world.
“We deeply appreciate Khazanah’s commitment to engaging with and nurturing the next generation of communication professionals who are here today.
“Meaningful engagement with industry professionals allows students to understand how this knowledge is applied in the real world,” he said in his welcoming remarks.
Khazanah executive director and head of group sustainability and advocacy Datuk Shahira Ahmed Bazari urged students to uphold ethical and accountable communication as they prepare to enter the industry.
“You have a strong responsibility to ensure that what you communicate externally is guided by good ethics and accountability,” she said, addressing the students.
She urged them to make full use of the opportunity to learn from the industry practitioners and mentors during the programme.
The mentors also shared insights from their professional experiences and guided students through practical exercises designed to expose them to the realities of journalism and communications work.
Nur Hidayah Hasan, 24, said the programme’s full-day activities left her “more prepared” to enter the journalism field.
“I gained a clearer understanding of the importance of accuracy, timeliness and reporting facts as they are,” the communications student specialising in integrated media journalism said, recalling the activity which required students to assess a simulated media crisis before developing their news reports.
Meanwhile, Nur Syakirah Iman Mohd Shafique, who specialises in strategic communications, found herself putting theories learnt in class into practice while managing a simulated crisis which was part of the programme.
“It was challenging to balance being transparent with protecting the organisation’s reputation, but that made the experience more realistic,” the 24-year-old said.
Established in 2013, the Khazanah Residency Programme (KRP) aims to develop Malaysian talent in the media and creative sectors through international exposure and professional immersion.
One of KRP’s initiatives, the Khazanah Wolfson Press Fellowship, provides journalists with opportunities to broaden their knowledge and skills through international learning experiences, with fellows sharing their expertise with the wider media community upon their return.
The fellows’ involvement as mentors also reflected the fellowship’s emphasis on sharing knowledge and contributing to the development of the next generation of media professionals.