Australian specialist broadcast training company AMT Pty Ltd has played a crucial role in the launch of Afghanistan’s first professional media training institution, Nai Media Institute (NMI). “As the troops pull out of Afghanistan, media will play an important role in the reconstruction of the country. To win people’s hearts and minds, you have to win their radios, televisions and mobile phones,” said AMT CEO Steve Ahern who has just returned from Afghanistan.
Ahern spent December and January in Kabul where he put in place the management and academic systems needed to begin the new institute, launched this week.
AMT was commissioned to develop the two year Diploma in Media curriculum, covering radio, television and new media. The integrated course combines expert tuition and theory with practical training using NMI’s radio station, television facilities and professional location equipment.
Addressing U.S. and Afghan Government officials and media representatives at the opening ceremony, Nai Executive Director, Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar said: “We are proud to be a part of the process of upgrading the media industry in Afghanistan by offering a two-year media course, the first program of its kind in the country.”
“USAID has proudly supported independent media since 2002 because we believe that media has a critical role to play in the future of Afghanistan,” said the Deputy Director of the USAID Office of Democracy and Governance, Maura Barry.
As well as developing the curriculum, AMT trained the lecturers who will deliver the course and built internal management systems within NMI to comply with educational and government requirements.
“NMI needed a turnkey solution so they could ensure academic compliance, and get the course started, ready for the first intake of students in March this year. Because of AMT’s experience with similar projects in India and South Africa, we were able to provide that solution,” said Ahern, a former Senior Executive at the Australian Film Television and Radio School.
In 2009, Steve Ahern (co-owner of this website) was awarded an Order of Australia Media for his services to media education in Australia and internationally. He previously worked for the ABC and the British Consulate-General in a media career spanning over 30 years.
Nai, which means ‘flute’ in the Afghani language (Dari), symbolises the way broadcast transmissions carry over the air waves, similar to music.
Details of the NMI Diploma in Media course can be found at www.nmi.edu.af.