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 HH Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder of PublisHer, and Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner and 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 the media group’s Dubai offices, for five women resident 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.
4-Week Programme Across 4 Departments
Throughout the four-week programme, candidates will rotate through four key publishing departments that includes editorial and content development; marketing, PR, and audience engagement; advertising, sales, and revenue models; and product, digital platforms, and business strategy.
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 the Motivate leadership.
Graduates will receive a joint certificate from PublisHer and Motivate Media Group and will be welcomed into the PublisHer Alumnae Network.
“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 organisations, 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,” says Al Qasimi.
“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,” adds Fairservice.
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.
