The ‘Sharjah NYU SPS Executive Publishing Program’, organized by SBA in partnership with the Centre for Publishing, Writing, and Media at the NYU School of Professional Studies, is set to kick off from April 14-17, at the American University of Sharjah (AUS).
The prestigious event, being held for the first time outside the United States, is set to feature workshops and discussions focused on content creation, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, and global publishing industry trends, all led by a distinguished line-up of international academics and publishing experts.
The Sharjah edition will begin with introductory remarks from Andrea Chambers, Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Centre for Publishing, Writing, and Media (PWM), and Christie Henry, Director of Princeton University Press, providing participants with the agenda and purpose of the event.
Christie Henry will then commence a dedicated session, delving into the impact of independent presses with her extensive knowledge of Princeton University Press’ legacy.
Later discussions will explore strategies for global audience engagement, including a case study on the press’s Chinese expansion and a collaborative workshop with Dan Hayter of Glassboxx on harnessing websites to drive readership and revenue.
The initial day will wrap up with in-depth insights on acquiring globally resonant titles and designing covers for international markets, featuring Michael Reynolds of Europa Editions and Inez Munsch of Abrams & Chronicle Books.
The second day will focus on innovation and global outreach. Christie Henry will again lead a session on unconventional market expansion through case studies, followed by a discussion with Samantha Schnee of Words Without Borders on the significance of translation rights.
Participants will also get the opportunity to engage in an interactive exercise to unlock translation opportunities, while Naveen Kishore and Sunandini Banerjee of Seagull Books will highlight how translation and design synergize to drive growth. The day will conclude with a case study on collaborative publishing models by Princeton University Press’ Inés ter Horst and Christie Henry.
The program’s third day will center on global market dynamics, beginning with HarperCollins’ Chantal Restivo-Alessi underscoring strategies to drive international growth and consumer trends. Carlo Carrenho of Alpine Global Collective will highlight the rapid evolution of audiobooks, while Restivo-Alessi will explore digital sales and operations.
Participants can assess their skills in a negotiation workshop before Kelly Gallagher of Ingram Content Group concludes the day with a forward-looking analysis of shifts in international print sales.
On the concluding day, Joana Jamil of Meta will discuss digital marketing strategies for book promotion. Chantal Restivo-Alessi will explore AI’s implications for publishers, followed by HarperCollins’ Marine Debray mapping global innovation trends. Keith Riegert of Ulysses Press will highlight practical AI applications for publishers, culminating in collaborative exercises to apply the tools discussed.
