In response to the new reality brought about by the pandemic, Orient Planet Academy (www.opacademy.com), the Arab world’s first online academy dedicated to public relations (PR) and communications practitioners, has introduced two new programs and enhanced some of its existing courses with the introduction of more relevant modules.   
Diploma in Multimedia Journalism and Diploma in Radio Journalism are the newest additions to the Academy’s list of internationally recognized courses, bringing to five its current e-learning offerings. Each of the newly introduced courses features comprehensive modules to ensure that learners are empowered to advance and become competitive in their fields.
Under Diploma in Multimedia Journalism are 10 modules that cover different types of mass media such as print, radio, television and the internet. The modules include the basics of journalism while also touching on social media, photography, events and sources, streaming and interviews.
The Diploma in Radio Journalism course, on the other hand has 20 modules. It features an extensive range of topics such as radio journalism, ethics, laws, investigations, events and sources, grammar, and interview, voice and writing techniques as radio broadcasting tools. The program’s modules also look into the web, production, freelancing and documentaries.
The Academy’s existing Diploma in Public Relations, meantime, has been updated with a set of modules, while its Diploma in Event Management course has been re-styled into Diploma in Event Management in a Pandemic. The titles of the latter’s modules have also been changed to reflect the new content. Diploma in Event Management in a Pandemic is designed to teach students how to execute their work in the face of emergencies and crises.
Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director, Orient Planet Group, said: “Orient Planet Academy continues to evolve, closely watching new regional and global developments and trends with significant effects on the PR and communications disciplines. The pandemic is an international development of great impact on the industry and other sectors. It has ushered in a new reality that none of us expected, but it has nonetheless challenged us to turn difficulties into opportunities. Our new courses and revamped programs are a testament to the Academy’s ability to tap into fresh opportunities amid the pandemic, as well as foresight to implement appropriate actions with long-lasting outcomes that benefit our students.”
“More than ever, e-learning has become an important model to ensure continuous education. In an ever-changing world, made even more competitive by the pandemic, professionals cannot afford to not improve their skills and knowledge. They need to transform as well to advance greatly in their professional journey. With its emphasis on e-learning, Orient Planet Academy aims to help them in this goal,” Abou Zaki added. 
Since its opening, the Academy has been providing world-class online education and training to make its target students more competitive. It was launched amid the changing face of learning in the Middle East and the world fueled by rapid technological innovations.