Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The International Publishers Association Academy will launch next week, on Monday 7 March 2021. The IPA Academy, made possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Sharjah Book Authority, will launch with a series of IPA Talks and in-depth courses from three prestigious partners. All training material on the IPA Academy will be available for free to IPA members and their members.

IPA President Bodour Al Qasimi, said: ‘Over the last 2 years, I’ve spoken to over 150 senior publishing industry executives from across the industry value chain – including publishing houses, distributors, authors, educators, book fairs, and literacy and free-expression advocates – in more than 40 countries. A common theme that has featured strongly in these discussions is the need for workforce skill development to adapt to pandemic-driven digital acceleration. The IPA Academy is a response to this need and would be  a great benefit for IPA members and the publishers they represent, and I can’t wait for them to start using it. ’

Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), added: ‘The IPA Academy is a gamechanger for the global book industry. As an entity dedicated to promoting knowledge and learning and boosting growth and opportunities for publishers, Sharjah Book Authority is honoured to partner with IPA in helping co-create forward-looking solutions to the challenges facing the publishing industry. SBA’s support, in line with the emirate’s commitment to nurture the book industry under Sharjah’s cultural project, also affirms the need for collective action with relevant industry stakeholders to build up resilience and advance the publishing industry to the next phase of growth.’

What is the IPA Academy?

The International Publishers Association created the IPA Academy to support publishers and their associations as they adapt to commercial changes catalysed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, success for publishers depends on being comfortable and confident in the digital space, from creating digital books to e-commerce, integrating accessibility into workflows and social media marketing.

To address this need, the IPA Academy offers a range of learning resources in the fields that matter to publishers.

Who can use the IPA Academy?

All IPA Members -- and the publishers they represent -- can access these material free of charge.

A recent report said Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), has undertaken further overseas engagements to Tunisia and Morocco, meeting members of the Union des Éditeurs Tunisiens (Tunisian Publishers Association) and L'Union Professionelle des Éditeurs du Maroc (Moroccan Publishers Association) to underscore the IPA’s commitment to support and develop the Arab publishing industry and enhance opportunities for growth in both domestic and foreign markets.