New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Photo: Wiki Commons.

JNS.org – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and major media companies on Tuesday announced the official launch of a degree program which, in a collaboration between Cornell University and Israel’s Technion Institute of Technology, will train engineers and other technologically skilled professionals for careers in media.

The program—which is the first degree offered by the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute (JTCII) at Cornell Tech—entails two years of study to earn a master’s in Connective Media. Graduates will receive their degree from both Cornell and Technion. The program will collaborate with major media companies such as Facebook, Hearst, WordPress and the New York Times.

“New York City is the world’s media capital, but we can’t take that position for granted because the way media is produced and consumed is changing dramatically,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “Media creators and tech companies have a lot to gain from a strong, collaborative working relationship, and I am proud that Cornell and the Technion will be training the next generation of tech talent in New York City to work with the media industry. We will reap the benefits of that partnership in the form of job creation and global competitiveness.”