Sharjah24: 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 materials 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. ’
 
HE 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.’