King Khalid University, represented by the Department of Media and Communication, participated in the fifth edition of the Saudi Media Forum 2026. The event was held in Riyadh under the gracious patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (may God protect him) featuring an academic and professional presence that reflected the university's role in supporting the media industry and developing its educational and professional pathways.
The Head of the Media and Communication Department at King Khalid University, Dr. Ali bin Zuhair Al-Qahtani, explained that the university's participation served as an extension of its approach to linking academic education with professional practice and enhancing its presence in national and international platforms concerned with the media industry. He emphasized that the Saudi Media Forum is a strategic platform for keeping pace with the rapid transformations witnessed by the sector.
Dr. Al-Qahtani noted that the university’s pavilion showcased the department's most prominent academic achievements, primarily academic accreditation certificates, efforts to develop study plans, and the updating of educational tracks to align with the needs of the media labor market. This was in addition to highlighting the department’s initiatives in digital transformation and content creation.
The university’s pavilion also witnessed active participation from the department's students under the supervision of the Deanship of Student Affairs. These students contributed by explaining academic programs and interacting with specialists and interested forum visitors. He pointed out that the participation also included direct interaction with experts and media entities to explore cooperation opportunities, build professional partnerships, and enhance integration between academic and media institutions.
He added that through its participation in the Future of Media Exhibition (FOMEX) accompanying the forum, the university was keen to provide students with the opportunity to explore the latest media technologies, production platforms, and digital media solutions to support the student experience and enhance the practical aspect of media and communication programs.
In the same context, Dr. Al-Qahtani mentioned that the university newspaper, Afaq, issued a special edition to mark the university's participation in the Saudi Media Forum. The participation also included the presence of the university’s ambassador at the forum, student Mohammed bin Yousef Al-Sarhan, as part of the University Representation Program, where he presented a model for active student presence and contributed to representing the university.
He concluded by affirming that King Khalid University’s participation in the Saudi Media Forum represented an effective model for university presence at the heart of the media industry. It reflected the university’s national role in preparing qualified media professionals who possess the knowledge and skills necessary to interact with the transformations of the media landscape both locally and internationally.