Future Image and Future Leadership Launched

The 2011 Future Image and Future Leadership officially kicked off in the Eton Hotel, Shanghai on May 20, 2011, presided over by Hu Zhengrong, Vice President of Communication University of China (CUC).

Future Image and Future Leadership was launched by the secretariat of the International League of Higher Education in Media and Communication (MLeague)of the CUC and co-organized together with funding partner, China Image Future Program of Canon. The program has set up an election committee with 50 experts from international renowned media universities such as Columbia University, Missouri School of Journalism, University of Athens and Australia’s Macquarie University along with 50 domestic image experts and 30 journalists as its committee members.The committee will appraise and elect yearly the most representative cases, figures, events and innovation in China’s image fi eld, aiming to form an annual regime of promoting quality of media culture and responsibility of the industry. The vigorous media industry in China needs not only industrial leaders to think about development of the industry and draw conclusions on experience and problems, but also young people’s innovative thinking,exploration of values of the industry and their social responsibility.

At the launching ceremony of the program, Luo Qing,secretary-general of MLeague, introduced background,organizing work and selection procedure of the program.

“Image is one of the most precious cultural heritages of a society and the most internationally used language,”Luo said. Chosen by the committee, winners of the program will receive a special fund from the program,which will include admission to a refresher course at a world-class university, internships in renowned international media groups, image creation subsidies and international exhibition tours. This aims at promoting training of young Chinese image talents, who will in fl uence the world by their talented work.

From 2011, a Future Image and Future Leadership program will be held every May. The MLeague and program organizing committee will send nominated projects and name lists for a primary election involving 1,000 votes. After the primary election, the committee will hold a final election on October 30. After that, a celebration and tour exhibition will take place among allied universities worldwide.

About MLeague The alliance presently has 46 well-known universities in media and communication education from 18 countries and regions as its members. MLeague is born with the mission of constructing cooperation and exchange platforms,promoting close relationships and carrying out multilateral or bilateral cooperation in scholars’and students’ exchanges, exchanges of material and data, research and studies. By in-depth cooperation and communication MLeague will contribute to the cultivation of media talent and the spread of knowledge, the internationalization of universities and the overall development of higher education in media and communication.