In a landmark development for journalism education in Bangladesh, a delegation from Daffodil International University’s (DIU) Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC) has secured a pioneering institutional partnership with Google and YouTube. 

This meeting took place last Thursday(October 2) at the Google Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, opening up unprecedented opportunities for students.

The DIU delegation, comprising Dr. Aftab Hossain, Head of the JMC Department, and Dr. Abdul Kabil Khan, Associate Professor, held two separate strategic meetings. The first was with the Google News Initiative team, represented by Adil Farhan of the Google News Partnership Project. Discussions focused on future collaborations, including internship opportunities, exclusive masterclasses, and specialized seminars designed to bridge the gap between academia and the global technology industry.

During the meeting, the JMC representatives highlighted that their department has already proactively integrated Google's specific AI tools and various digital journalism resources into its curriculum. This initiative aims to equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in the rapidly evolving media landscape.

"At this intersection of media and technology, our collaboration with the Google News Initiative will open new horizons for our students," said Dr. Aftab Hossain. "The integration of AI tools into our curriculum demonstrates our commitment to preparing our students for the future of journalism."

Following the successful engagement with Google, the delegation met with Abu Saleh, a representative from YouTube's Strategic Partnership division. Both parties agreed to develop joint initiatives, including an incubation program for young content creators and collaborative efforts to disseminate resources on community guidelines and digital safety at the grassroots level.

Adil Farhan of Google expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "This collaboration with a journalism department of a Bangladeshi university is very important to us. We hope that this joint venture with Daffodil International University will have a positive impact on raising awareness about crucial topics like information verification and the use of AI tools in modern journalism."

This partnership builds upon DIU's existing role as a strategic partner in the 'Information Credibility and AI Literacy Training' program, an initiative by Google managed by Prothom Alo in Bangladesh, further solidifying its position as a forward-thinking institution in the country.

BOB Post