The Eighth meeting of the Academy Consultative Council was held online on October 13, 2022.  It was presided over by Eng. Mr. Abdelrahim Suleiman, ASBU Director General and chaired by Eng. Dr Riyadh Kamal Najm, Member of the Consultative Council. It was attended  by the Consultative Council Members and by Representatives of ASBU concerned Departments. 

The agenda of the meeting included mainly:

1. Report on ASBU Academy activities during 2023 first semester

2. Draft Master plan Training Program for 2024

Engineer Abdelrahim Suleiman opened the meeting and welcomed the Members of the Consultative Council and thanked them for their support to the Academy’s activities and progress. He also expressed the satisfaction of ASBU’s member Organizations for the excellent Training Program that the Academy is delivering with topical and relevant themes.

He further announced the gradual return of the Arab Radio and Television Training Center to a normal rhythm of activity in Damascus, and the need to restructure the Damascus Center within the scope of continued coordination and complementarity with the ASBU Media Training Academy.

The ASBU Director General also informed the Participants of the new ASBU project to build a new Business Center during the next two years, with the possibility of allocating an entire floor to the ASBU Academy which will expand its free services to ASBU Members and offer also paid services so as to ensure a share for self-financing for the Academy.

On taking the floor to chair the meeting’s proceedings  Eng. Dr. Riyadh Najm, Chairman of ASBU Academy Consultative Council,  praised the Academy’s outstanding performance and quality of training, and noted with great appreciation the increased participation of ASBU Members .He also praised the successful efforts to build a continuous cooperative relationship and effective follow-up to the participation of the Member Organizations  in the Academy’s training program.  

Following the presentations of the ASBU Academy reports on its executed activities and future projects, the Chairman of the Consultative Council opened the discussions that were extensive and constructive, and which led to the adoption of a number of relevant recommendations, such as:  

– It is recommended that the Academy continues to seek Arabic-speaking trainers with the right levels of expertise and knowledge to deliver courses. Everyone agreed that this task is very delicate, and competence must be the basic criteria for the selection of qualified trainers who combine both academic levels and professional experience, without any partiality or reverence.

– Reference is also made to noteworthy annual organization of the “ TOT”, Training Of Trainers course targeting the Arab Trainers with whom the Academy can cooperate the best.

–  Appreciating  the significant expansion of the Academy Cooperative relationship, the Council noted with great satisfaction the development of its cooperation with its Traditional Partners (EBU Academy, HBS Academy, INA, Beyond Broadcasting..) as well as through substantial new additional initiatives with Rai and Copeam..

–  Regarding the upcoming 2024 Project Plan of Training activities , Everyone praised the interest that the Academy gives to the question of the Audiovisual Archives and to its inclusion in its annual program of activities through topical themes. 

– Finally, it has been decided to hold the forthcoming meeting of the ASBU Academy Consultative Council in Tunis, on 23rd October 2023.