▁Communic ation ▁Edu c ators ▁( A US ACE ) ▁launched ▁a ▁regional ▁conference ▁them ed ▁" New ▁Dire ctions : ▁Digital ▁and ▁Media ▁Liter acy ". ▁The ▁conference ▁attract ed ▁significant ▁attention ▁from ▁Arab ▁univers ities ▁and ▁sch ol ars , ▁who ▁discussed ▁obst acles ▁and ▁needs ▁to ▁advance ▁media ▁liter acy ▁in ▁the ▁Arab ▁region , ▁including ▁developing ▁curr ic ula ▁in ▁Arab ic , ▁training ▁fac ulty ▁and ▁prom oting ▁the ▁field . ▁▁ ▁Following ▁up ▁on ▁that ▁recommendation , ▁the ▁Media ▁Studies ▁Program ▁at ▁A UB ▁and ▁the ▁Open ▁Society ▁Found ations ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁the ▁Sal zburg ▁Academy ▁on ▁Media ▁and ▁Global ▁Change ▁launched ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁the ▁first ▁regional ▁initi ative ▁to ▁develop , ▁vital ize , ▁and ▁advance ▁media ▁liter acy ▁education ▁in ▁the ▁Arab ▁region . ▁The ▁Media ▁and ▁Digital ▁Liter acy ▁Academy ▁of ▁Be ir ut ▁( MD LAB ) ▁offered ▁an ▁annual ▁two - week ▁summer ▁training ▁program ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁working ▁year - round ▁to ▁develop ▁media ▁liter acy ▁curr ic ula ▁and ▁programs . ▁The ▁a cademy ▁is ▁conducted ▁in ▁Arab ic ▁and ▁English ▁and ▁brings ▁pione ering ▁international ▁instruct ors ▁and ▁profession als ▁to ▁teach ▁advanced ▁digital ▁and ▁media ▁liter acy ▁concepts ▁to ▁young ▁Arab ▁academ ics ▁and ▁gradu ate ▁students ▁from ▁various ▁fields . ▁M DL AB ▁hopes ▁that ▁the ▁particip ating ▁Arab ▁academ ics ▁will ▁carry ▁what ▁they ▁learned ▁to ▁their ▁countries ▁and ▁institutions ▁and ▁offers ▁free ▁curr icular ▁material ▁in ▁Arab ic ▁and ▁English