Deadline: 31 January 2014
Open to: journalists from any country with at least 5 years’ experience and good spoken and written English.
Remuneration: travel costs and living allowance
Description
Applications are now open for the Journalism Fellowship Programme at the Reuters Institute, for mid-career journalists. The programme enables visiting journalists from around the world to do research in Oxford for a period of three, six or nine months. Fellows enjoy an opportunity to critically reflect upon their profession, to research a subject of their choice under the supervision of an academic specializing in that area, and to enjoy the breadth of academic, cultural and social life at the University of Oxford.
The Journalism Fellowship Programme at Oxford offers a practical form of professional assistance to established and mid-career journalists. Its purpose is to allow journalists to tackle subjects in greater depth than is possible under deadline pressure.
Around 25 journalists from around the globe study in Oxford each year on Fellowships of either three, six or nine months, covering one, two or all three terms of the academic year. Fellows may join the Institute in October, January or April.
Fellows are expected to produce a substantial piece of work to an academic standard. They are required to complete an 8,000-10,000 word research paper of publishable quality either as part of the Institute’s research output or independently (for example, as a survey of an important subject, magazine article or part of a book). Fellows may use multimedia in their work. Fellows have to present their research findings in a seminar open to the University.
Each Fellow is assigned a supervisor, usually an Oxford academic specialising in the journalists’ chosen subject, to advise them on their research. Fellows will also be able to approach other faculty members to supplement and inform their research and are entitled to access to the wealth of information held in the Bodleian Library and other Oxford University facilities and resources.
They will be allocated membership of Green Templeton College with Visiting Scholar status, including dining and other rights, and as such are strongly encouraged to attend university seminars, lectures and classes on all relevant subjects. Of course, Fellows are also warmly invited to participate in the numerous academic and extracurricular activities of the group of mid-career international journalists based here in the RISJ offices in Norham Gardens.
There are numerous specialist facilities within the university, such as regional centres for African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Eastern and Western European, Japanese and Chinese Studies, and Fellows are more than welcome to take advantage of the University’s language laboratory and computer services. RISJ also organises regular seminars, debates, lectures and study trips: for instance, the RISJ seminar is held weekly during term-time at Green Templeton College as is an in-house seminar to which Fellows are expected to present a paper. The Reuters Institute also runs a weekly ‘Media and Politics Seminar’ jointly with Nuffield College.
No academic credits or qualifications can be obtained through the Fellowship Programme although a certificate is awarded on submission of the Fellows’ Research paper.
The Institute’s media expertise is bolstered by the related work of the Oxford Internet Institute, the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy and the Saïd Business School. The University also hosts many special events that may be of interest to Fellows.
Eligibility
Applicants must have a minimum of five years’ experience in any branch of journalism and good spoken and written English. Mid-career journalists from any country in the world are eligible.
Priority will be given to journalists proposing research projects within the following three areas of focus:
- Journalism and Democracy This encompasses projects exploring the functions of media in political information, engagement, and participation, the roles of journalism and other media and communication platforms in democratization, the interplay of politics and the media, and public policies toward media.
- Business and Financial Reporting These projects are focused on the practices and effects of business/financial reporting, variations in practices around the globe, relationships between journalists and sources, and how coverage portrays and effects national and international economic and financial policies.
- Science and Technology Projects exploring the role of news and journalism in creating awareness and understanding of science and medicine, reporting of risk, and effects on public opinion and governmental policies.
Other areas of research can be considered providing these are clearly related to the professional work of applicants and will lead to greater excellence in journalism.
Remuneration
Awards may include travel expenses (including air travel economy class) and a modest living allowance. This arrangement is subject to variation. Spouses and partners (including with dependents) are welcome but under no circumstances will the Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme pay the travel or living costs of visiting spouses or dependents.
Fellows at the RISJ on Fellowships from Thomson Reuters Foundation, Gerda-Henkel, Wincott and Saïd -Asfari will receive a monthly stipend from the RISJ for their living costs during their stay in Oxford, as well as covering travel costs within reason.
Application
The deadline for receipt of applications is 31st January 2014. The online application form is available HERE. Please review the guidelines HERE for the list of application materials that you must submit online.