Today, we celebrate our faculty and teachers worldwide for their dedication and the impact they make beyond the classroom. Happy World Teachers’ Day!

Meet the final 4️⃣ fellows rounding out The Story Studio: Malaria’s inaugural cohort! With support from experts & mentors, they’ll tell stories of the people & communities at the heart of the fight against malaria. Join us in welcoming all 12 fellows! 👋

Four more fellows to meet! 👋 Introducing the next four journalists & storytellers in The Story Studio: Malaria’s inaugural cohort. The fellowship will help bring reporting rooted in East African communities to regional & international audiences. 🌍

Meet four of the 12 journalists & storytellers joining The Story Studio: Malaria! Our fellows from Kenya 🇰🇪, Tanzania 🇹🇿 & Uganda 🇺🇬 will tell malaria stories that center the people behind the data. Get to know the first four — and stay tuned for more!

We’re thrilled to launch The Story Studio: Malaria, a new storytelling fellowship with @AKU_GSMC! 📘✨ The fellowship will support 12 journalists from Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda to produce ambitious, accurate & evidence-based malaria stories. Learn more: bit.ly/4yfJ3Wd

As part of the 2026 Celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), UNESCO and the Embassy of Finland held a celebration at the Finnish Residence in Nairobi to commemorate the day. IDUAI is observed annually on 28 September to promote the fundamental right of access to information as a cornerstone of democracy, sustainable development and human rights. The celebration featured a panel discussion moderated by Prof. Nancy Booker. The discussion focused on the barriers that prevent women, older persons, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups from exercising their right to access information.

A week ago, we celebrated the Storytelling for Communicators Class of 2026 as they wrapped up their eight-week journey. We caught up with some of the participants to hear what the experience was like, what stood out for them, and what they’re taking away from the course. Watch some of their reflections and moments from the graduation.

“Stories must be backed by logic, and when logic falls apart, then the stories cannot be persuasive.” That was one of Maureen Akwii's key takeaways from our Storytelling executive education course. As they graduated, participants shared how they are already applying what they learnt and passing it on to their colleagues to strengthen communication within their organisations. It was encouraging to hear how quickly the learning had moved beyond the classroom and into their everyday work. Congratulations to our Storytelling Class of 2026! 🎓

Congratulations! 🎉 We are proud to celebrate Harry Misiko's appointment as Acting Editor-in-Chief at Nation Media Group, where he will lead Newsroom operations across Digital, Broadcast and Print in Kenya. Harry is an alumnus of our Executive Master’s in Media Leadership and Innovation class of 2023. He moves into the role after serving as the Newsroom’s Managing Editor in charge of Content Strategy. We join in congratulating Harry on this achievement and wish him success as he takes on this new role.

Every graduate student arrives at GSMC with a different story and perspective. As our new students settle in, we caught up with a few of them to get to know them a little better. Listen to what they had to say.

Take some time to fill in your thoughts on this study by @AKU_GSMC forms.gle/rK9t1WNtwUVtn1nw6

We are proud to celebrate Ms Pauline Muriuki, Training Associate at AKU-GSMC, for being awarded Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) through Aga Khan University’s TEACH CPD Scheme. The fellowship recognises her commitment to teaching excellence and professional development in higher education, as well as her alignment with the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) 2023. This is reflected through her effective facilitation of professional development courses. Pauline now joins a global community of more than 227,000 educators, including over 165 Fellows from Aga Khan University (AKU) and the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (IIS). Congratulations on this significant achievement!

This year’s Africa PR Week was preceded by the African Universities PR Challenge, which brought together 11 universities from Kenya and South Africa at Aga Khan University in Nairobi. Hosted by AKU-GSMC in partnership with Africa PR Week, the Challenge gave students a platform to tackle real industry challenges and learn from leading PR professionals. In her welcoming remarks, Prof. Nancy Booker underlined universities' role in helping students move beyond theory to engage with real industry challenges, noting that she was pleased AKU had provided that platform. She also called on communicators to change how Africa’s story has been told by thinking strategically about its identity, reputation and influence. From Kenya’s film industry to the cultures and identities of countries across the continent, the stage became a colourful showcase of ideas as students brought their campaigns to life through their presentations and branded attire. The Challenge set the tone for Africa PR Week, which began the next day at Mövenpick Hotel under the theme, “Redefining Africa: Africa as a Brand.” For three days, Africa’s communications community turned its attention to shaping narratives, rethinking nation brands and having conversations about how Africa is seen and represented. Through the Student Affairs Experiential Learning Fund, some of our students joined the three-day forum, including MASC student Mercelline Maroma, who participated in the Media, Influence & Africa’s Global Narrative panel. Dr Caroline Kiarie, who served as a judge during the Challenge, also moderated and joined the Future Preparedness for Youth, Education & Academia panel. By the end of the week, the message was clear: Africa’s story goes beyond crisis headlines, and it is important to have African voices at the forefront of how that story is told. For PR professionals, keeping pace with AI and data matters, but so will ethics and good judgement. #africaprweek2026 #auprc2026

A week ago, GSMC in partnership with Fojo Media Institute brought together young female media students from Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia for the Women Media Leaders of Tomorrow training. But how did the idea come about? Watch Prof. Nancy Booker explain the thinking behind the initiative and hear from the participants as they share some of their key takeaways from the three-day programme.

Too often, conversations about young people happen without their voices being included. The Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications is conducting a nationwide study to identify the issues Kenya’s Gen Z and Millennials want the political class to pay attention to. We would like to understand their priorities, how they engage with politics, what they expect from political leaders, and how much they trust democratic institutions, including the media. These findings will help bring young people’s voices and priorities into conversations about Kenya’s democratic future, both in the 2027 elections and beyond. Take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire and make your voice count: forms.gle/rK9t1WNtwUVtn1nw6 #stateoftheyouth #genzkenya #millenialske #youthanddemocracy

To new beginnings! There's a fresh energy at the Graduate School of Media and Communications as we welcome a new cohort to our Master of Arts in Digital Journalism (MADJ) and Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) programmes. As they begin this new chapter, we look forward to the ideas they will bring, the stories they will tell and the impact they will make. Here's to a journey of learning and growth. Welcome to GSMC!

"Becoming an effective media leader requires more than a title. It is about claiming the space and having in-depth knowledge of what leadership entails and the realities surrounding the changing media ecosystem." Lizzie Nyambe, a student at the University of Zambia, says it's one of the key lessons she's taking away from the Women Media Leaders of Tomorrow training. Over the three days, participants shared experiences, challenged their perceptions of the media industry and connected with their peers. Conversations with industry experts inspired them to reflect on their career aspirations and the work required for them to succeed. The Women Media Leaders of Tomorrow Training was implemented by GSMC and @fojo_int with support from the European Union.

What does it take to build a more equitable media industry? Today, we welcomed a group of young female media students from Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia to AKU-GSMC in Nairobi for the Women Media Leaders of Tomorrow training. Day 1 brought energy, curiosity and plenty of questions. Participants explored what leadership means in media and what it takes to navigate an industry where women have historically been underrepresented in leadership roles. They also heard from experienced industry leaders, gaining insights from their journeys and perspectives. This training is part of our commitment to building a more equitable media industry by equipping young women with the skills, knowledge and networks to lead. With two days still to go, there is much more to learn, discuss and take away. Here are some highlights from Day 1.