In collaboration with the Centre for Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California in the United States, Al Jazeera Centre for Studies a symposium entitled "Al Jazeera in Fifteen Years" organised on 31st October to 1st November 2011 at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, Qatar as part of the Al Jazeera Network’s Fifteenth anniversary celebration. Meanwhile, preparation and coordination of the symposium was overseen by Assistant Researcher Mariam Sharbash at Al Jazeera Centre for Studies.
Through research and discussion, the symposium addressed Al Jazeera’s performance over the course of fifteen years by focusing on its coverage of major events and disasters of wars and revolutions, and its impact on Arab public opinion trends on Arab and international media. Major controversial issues were also reviewed and discussed on scientific and professional bases. The symposium discussed media challenges facing Al Jazeera in the coming decade as well.
The symposium was attended by a group of experts, researchers and academics from within and outside the Arab world as well as the first prize winners of Al Jazeera’s competition for young researchers, organised recently by the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies in collaboration with Mass Communications Department at the University of Qatar. The event was also attended by a group of journalists and media professionals and researchers working at the various entities of Al Jazeera Network.