Sheikha Bodour, Motivate launch plan to train women in publishing

PublisHer and Motivate Media Group have formed a partnership to establish PublisHer Pathways, a four-week immersive internship programme to address the gap between academic preparation and the realities of working inside a media company.

The agreement, signed by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder of PublisHer, and Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner & Group Editor-in-Chief of Motivate Media Group, at the House of Wisdom, in Sharjah, will deliver a one-year programme, comprising up to two cycles per year at Motivate’s Dubai offices, for five women residents in the UAE per cycle.

By placing each cohort inside Motivate’s operations for a month of structured rotations, hands-on projects and direct access to senior leadership, PublisHer Pathways tackles the issue of bridging from the academic world to the professional.

The programme

Each four-week cycle immerses the interns in the operations of four departments as follows: Editorial and Content Development; Marketing, PR and Audience Engagement; Advertising, Sales and Revenue Models; Product, Digital Platforms and Business Strategy.

Sheikha Bodour with Ian Fairservice and other dignitaries at the event.

Within each rotation, participants shadow a designated team for a week, working alongside staff rather than observing at arm’s length.

The programme also includes a masterclass with a senior industry leader, a guided visit to the printing press, individual mentorship from a Motivate team member, and a capstone project developed collaboratively by the interns and presented to Motivate leadership.

Graduates will receive a joint certificate from PublisHer and Motivate Media Group and will be welcomed into the PublisHer Alumnae Network.

PublisHer Founder H.H. Bodour Al Qasimi said: “PublisHer Pathways is a direct response to something we hear consistently from women across the industry – that the transition from education into professional publishing is harder than it should be and that access to real experience, inside real organizations, remains sporadic and uneven. I’m grateful to Ian and the whole Motivate team for having confidence in our mission and becoming the first to say yes.”

Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner & Group Editor-in-Chief, of Motivate Media Group added: “At Motivate, we believe the best way to understand publishing is to be part of it and to see how editorial, commercial and digital teams work together in real time. PublisHer Pathways gives participants that exposure, and in doing so, helps strengthen the next generation of talent coming into the industry.”

Selection

The programme is open to women based in the UAE at an early or mid-career stage, with a background or strong interest in publishing, media, literature or the creative arts.

Applications, made via the PublisHer website (www.womeninpublishing.org), will be assessed by a four-strong jury, with two representatives from PublisHer and two from Motivate. Applications are now open and will close on 30 June 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be notified on 15 July 2026, with the first cohort commencing on 3 August 2026.

Looking ahead

This first cohort will run as a pilot, though the goal is for PublisHer Pathways to be adopted by publishing houses in other regions, with PublisHer members and allies replicating the programme in their own markets. Certification for the inaugural cohort will be presented in person at the Sharjah Booksellers Conference on 18 September 2026.

About PublisHer

PublisHer is a global platform dedicated to the advancement of women in the publishing industry created in 2019 by Bodour Al Qasimi (founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, UAE, former president of IPA International Publishers Association). Its mission is to create spaces for female publishing professionals to connect, learn and support each other through membership, mentorship programmes, networking events and initiatives. These programmes have been developed with the support of leading women in international publishing to empower women while addressing the ongoing imbalances in the international book industry.

PublisHer has grown into an influential global movement that inspires and educates women in publishing so that they may pursue and realise their professional goals, while tackling structural inequities through practical, real-world, solution-based strategies.

About Motivate Media Group

Established in 1979, Motivate Media Group operates in partnership between Ian Fairservice and Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, former Minister of State for Financial Affairs, UAE. With a staff of over 200 experienced professionals based out of the Dubai headquarters, and the Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and London offices, Motivate’s wider publishing expertise includes award-winning print and digital titles such as What’s On, Emirates Woman and Gulf Business.