The Government of the Maldives has pledged full support for young people aspiring to build careers in journalism, following the signing of a landmark Strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts and the Maldives National University (MNU).
The agreement, signed at a special ceremony held in Malé, aims to promote professional development in the media and arts sectors, strengthen academic training for journalists, and align education with the evolving needs of the national media landscape.
The MoU was signed by Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts Ibrahim Waheed on behalf of the Ministry and MNU Vice-Chancellor Dr Aishath Shehnaz Adam on behalf of the university.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Ibrahim Waheed emphasised the importance of formal education in journalism, noting that passion alone, while valuable, is not sufficient for achieving professional excellence.
“I want to tell the media that journalists must have academic grounding in this field,” Minister Waheed said. “About 90 percent of journalists in the Maldives have entered the industry purely out of passion. That is admirable, but what you learn in a structured programme adds depth to what you practice and write.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting higher education and skill development for aspiring journalists, adding that a more educated media workforce would contribute significantly to national growth and informed public discourse.
Under the newly signed MoU, MNU will play a key role in providing academic and technical resources for media-related training programmes organised by the Ministry. The university will ensure that all courses meet Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) standards, conduct on-the-job training, and provide qualified facilitators to lead sessions.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Aishath Shehnaz said the partnership reinforces MNU’s mission to serve the nation through education and capacity-building.
“This collaboration will energise the work of both institutions and help create new pathways for youth empowerment and professional growth,” she said.
The framework also ensures that the Ministry will assist in recruiting participants for MNU’s journalism and arts programmes, while the university has agreed to subsidise part of the course fees to make media education more accessible.
Officials said the partnership reflects a shared vision between the government and MNU to equip the next generation of journalists with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, ensuring that the Maldivian media sector continues to grow with professionalism and integrity.
