In support of scientific research and to encourage academic studies addressing contemporary national and regional issues, and under the auspices of Professor Khaled El-Darandaly, President of Zagazig University, and Professor Ehab El-Beblawy, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, the Faculty of Specific Education witnessed, on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the discussion of the doctoral dissertation submitted by researcher Yaqoub Sami Yaqoub Yousef Al-Qouz in the Department of Educational Media, entitled: "The Production and Reception of the Public in Israeli Public Diplomacy Discourse Directed at Arab Peoples in Managing International Conflict: An Applied Study on the Events of Gaza 2023." The discussion took place in the Faculty's discussion hall.
The discussion was attended by Professor Akmal Shawky, Dean of the Faculty, Professor Mohamed Nabih, Director of the International Students Office at the University, Professor Shaimaa Fathy Abdel-Sadek Mosleh, Head of the Department of Educational Media, in addition to a number of faculty members, researchers, and those interested in the field of media and strategic studies.
The examining committee included Professor Dr. Mohamed Moawad Ibrahim, Professor Emeritus of Media at the Faculty of Graduate Studies for Media and Children's Culture, Ain Shams University, as external examiner and rapporteur; Major General Dr. Samir Saeed Farag, former Director of the Moral Affairs Department of the Armed Forces, former Governor of Luxor, and Advisor to the President of the Republic, as external examiner; and Professor Dr. Hemmat Hassan El-Saqqa, Professor Emeritus of Media at the Faculty of Specific Education, Zagazig University, as supervisor and examiner. Dr. Naglaa Salama Abdel-Hamid, a lecturer in journalism at the Faculty, also participated as part of the thesis supervision committee.
The thesis examined and analyzed the mechanisms of producing and receiving Israeli public diplomacy discourse directed at Arab populations within the context of managing international conflict. It used the events in Gaza in 2013 as a case study, analyzing media discourse tools and mechanisms for influencing public opinion, and exploring patterns of public interaction with media messages related to the Palestinian cause, within a scientific framework combining media analysis and applied studies.
The thesis also included a study and analysis of the mechanisms for influencing public opinion and the patterns of public interaction with media messages related to the Palestinian cause. Following the discussion, the committee decided to award the researcher a PhD in Educational Media with highest honors, praising the dissertation's academic originality, the importance of its topic, and its findings and analyses that enrich the field of media studies related to international conflicts and political media.
During the event, Professor Dr. Akmal Shawky, Dean of the Faculty, presented a plaque of appreciation to Major General Dr. Samir Saeed Farag, in recognition of his national, military, and academic career, and for his valuable contribution to the discussion through his strategic and media expertise, which added significant value to the dissertation and the attendees.
Professor Dr. Akmal Shawky, Dean of the Faculty, emphasized that the Faculty of Specific Education is committed to supporting scientific research that addresses national and regional issues with strategic dimensions. He added that the Faculty encourages studies that employ scientific methodologies in analyzing contemporary media issues, contributing to knowledge building and enhancing the university's role in serving the community and enriching scientific thought. He noted that postgraduate dissertation defenses are among the most important indicators of academic and research excellence within the Faculty. The discussion concluded in a distinguished scientific atmosphere that reflected the academic standing of the Faculty of Specific Education, and its keenness to host a select group of senior experts and specialists to enrich the research movement, which enhances the quality of postgraduate studies, and confirms the university’s role in preparing researchers who possess sound scientific research tools, and are able to address contemporary issues with a scientific vision that contributes to serving the nation and society.