Students and academics from across the AREACORE network came together at Ahram Canadian University in Cairo for an intensive programme of learning, exchange, and creative media production.
From 11–20 September 2026, the Faculty of Mass Communication at Ahram Canadian University (ACU) hosted this year’s AREACORE Summer School under the theme “Media Innovation Promoting Intercultural Dialogue.” The intensive programme brought together students and academic staff from AREACORE partner universities in Egypt, Germany, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, and Tunisia, creating a vibrant space for academic exchange, practical learning, creative production, and intercultural dialogue. The Summer School was supported by AREACORE, the Arab-European Association for Media and Communication Researchers, with funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Learning, exchanging, and creating together
The Summer School combined academic discussions with practical media training and collaborative production. Through lectures by Prof. Inas Abou Youssef (Ahram Canadian University), Prof. Carola Richter (Freie Universität Berlin), and Dr Sara Elmaghraby (Egyptian Chinese University); panel discussions with Egyptian scholars and AREACORE experts; masterclasses with Egyptian news editors; workshops; and field activities, participants explored some of the most pressing questions facing media and communication today.
The panel discussion “Media, Identity and Intercultural Dialogue in a Changing World”, featuring Dr Eman Soliman (Galala University) and AREACORE team members Dr Soumaya Berjeb (Université La Manouba), Dr Farah El Saati (Lebanese American University), and Dr Juman Quneis (Birzeit University), provided a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives and experiences from across the Arab world.
The programme addressed topics including media innovation for intercultural dialogue (Prof. Inas Abou Youssef), the representation of “Others” in the media (Prof. Carola Richter), media and identity (Dr Eman Soliman), ethical and responsible journalism (Khaled Dawoud, Al-Ahram Weekly), visual storytelling across cultures (Dr Sara Elmaghraby), and the role of artificial intelligence in media production, education, and research (Oday Ibrahim).
Rather than limiting learning to the classroom, the institutional connection between Ahram Canadian University and the Al-Ahram media organisation enabled an extensive field visit to Al-Ahram Newspaper. Participants had the opportunity to tour the premises and learn more about the work of one of Egypt’s leading media organisations. Khaled Dawoud, Al-Ahram Weekly journalist and Deputy Managing Editor, led an interactive session on “Ethics, Visual Narratives and Responsible Journalism”, after which participants were able to work on their projects at Al-Ahram. This combination of theoretical discussion and practical collaboration was at the heart of the programme.
From ideas to media productions
A central element of the Summer School was its four practical specialisation tracks: Visual Storytelling, Animation, Photography, and Podcasting. Working in international groups and alongside experienced trainers from Ahram Canadian University, students developed creative projects addressing cultural diversity, storytelling, and intercultural dialogue.
The participants’ work resulted in a diverse range of media outputs, including video productions, animated films, a photography exhibition, and podcast episodes. The projects provided an opportunity to put ideas from the lectures and discussions into practice while experimenting with different forms of contemporary media production.
The focus on collaborative production also created opportunities for participants to learn from one another and to experience intercultural dialogue not only as a subject of discussion, but also as a practical and creative process.
Discovering Cairo and Egypt through media
The Summer School also took participants beyond the university campus. A visit to Al-Ahram Newspaper offered insights into professional journalism and the media industry, while a field workshop in Tunis Village in Fayoum gave students the opportunity to engage directly with their surroundings through photography, filming, podcast interviews, animation research, and other forms of media production.
Additional cultural excursions, including visits to the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids of Giza, complemented the programme and gave participants opportunities to experience Egypt’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.
Collaboration beyond the Summer School
While students developed their creative projects, participating professors worked collaboratively on two academic outputs: a practical guide on “AI for Media Innovation and Intercultural Dialogue” and an international research framework addressing artificial intelligence, media innovation, and intercultural dialogue.
In this way, the Summer School created opportunities for collaboration at both student and academic levels, strengthening connections across the AREACORE network and laying the groundwork for continued exchange and joint work.
A celebration of creativity and intercultural exchange
The programme concluded with a final presentation and media showcase at Al-Ahram Newspaper, where students presented the results of their collaborative work through podcasts, videos, and a virtual photography exhibition. The event was followed by the closing ceremony and certificate distribution, marking the conclusion of an intensive programme of academic learning, creative experimentation, and intercultural exchange. The programme concluded with a final evening on a Nile cruise, giving participants an opportunity to enjoy the views of Cairo by night and celebrate the experience together.
The AREACORE Summer School in Cairo demonstrated the value of bringing students and academics from different countries together around shared questions and creative challenges. By combining media innovation, artificial intelligence, practical production, and intercultural dialogue, the programme created a space in which participants could learn from one another, develop new skills, and explore how media can contribute to greater understanding across cultures.
An important aspect of the Summer School was the opportunity it provided for participants to meet one another in person. For some students, this was their first opportunity to travel abroad and take part in an international academic programme. At a time when opportunities for cross-border mobility can vary considerably, particularly within the region, the Summer School offered a valuable space for young researchers and aspiring media professionals from different Arab countries to meet, exchange ideas, and develop personal and professional connections.
The AREACORE Summer School 2026 was generously sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service.
