Applications welcome from young professional journalists for 8-week on-the-job training 

Fondation EurActiv PoliTech and the Robert Bosch Stiftung have signed to expand an innovative journalist training scheme to help young journalists gain experience of European Union policies and online media. One week’s intensive seminar in Berlin, in cooperation with EurActiv Germany, will be followed by a six to eight-week internship with Fondation EurActiv PoliTech in Brussels, preparing the winning journalists for improved coverage of EU-related topics. 

“It’s a win-win situation for both the participating young journalists as well as for their national editors. The journalists get an excellent training on EU policies and the use of online media and hence improve their future career prospects. The editors get a part-time correspondent in Brussels for the duration of the project, and once back in their home countries, a colleague with a first-class EU-related experience. In a pilot programme in 2011, six journalists published 160 articles, of which about 140 were for the fellows’ home media,” declared Julian Oliver, Secretary-General of Fondation EurActiv PoliTech. 

“The aim of this expanded project is to build a network of young journalists with experience of working at EU level, the focus will be “How to Turn the EU Local – and Local Stories European” said Joachim Weidemann, founder of EurActiv.de and a former director of the Holtzbrinck School of Business & Finance Journalism. 

“With this training programme we want to contribute to reducing the democratic deficit that affects debates on EU policies in many countries. If this pilot is successful, we might include journalists from additional countries in future years,” explained Christian Hänel, Deputy Head of Department International Relations Western Europe, America, Turkey, Japan, India of the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

In early 2012, a dozen young journalists will be selected. Eight of those should come from Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain or the United Kingdom, and the other four should come from Germany and/or Austria (two from regional and two from national media). All will participate in a five-day intensive seminar in Berlin. 

Selection criteria include: 

• Minimum of two and no more than five years of journalism experience; 

• Employed outside Brussels with professional press card (students, freelancers & former journalists need not apply); 

• Knowledge of how to write for the web and use of social media;

• Good oral and written English, knowledge of a second EU language; 

• Samples of 3 published articles showing excellent writing in mother tongue, including 1 with EU relevance; 

• Letter of recommendation from management of ‘sending’ media, for example, from the editor.

The seminar in Berlin will include case-studies and social media techniques. Topics may include: the ‘Europe 2020’ strategy, the EU's Digital Agenda, reforming the financial system and energy policy. During this period, a further selection will be made of the six most promising young journalists for the second phase, consisting of a six to eight-week internship in Brussels, a trip to a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, opportunities to interview VIPs, access to an EU Summit, training between March and October 2012. These six participants will be selected by an international jury at the Fondation EurActiv Network offices in Brussels. Each journalist will be assigned to a senior editor, who will act as mentor and coach. Each of the selected journalists will produce stories for EurActiv.com and for publication in their home media. Selected participants will be reimbursed by Fondation EurActiv PoliTech, thanks to the Robert Bosch Stiftung, for their travel costs to and from Berlin and to and from Brussels/Strasbourg and living expenses while in Brussels. They will continue to be employed by their sending media. 

Applications are welcome and remain open until 30 January 2012. For further details and to receive a copy of the project’s Frequently Asked Questions, please contact: selection@euractiv.com with ‘Bosch EU Journalism Fellowship’ in the subject line. 

More information on the Robert Bosch Stiftung can be found at: http://www.bosch-stiftung.de. 

Media contacts:

Julian Oliver, Secretary General, Fondation EurActiv, Tel.+32(0)2.226 5825, SecGen@EurActiv.com 

Daniela Vincenti, Managing Editor, Tel. +32(0)2.788.36.69, news@euractiv.com 

Frédéric Simon, Editor-in-Chief, Tel. +32(0)2.788.36.78, editor2@euractiv.com

Christophe Leclercq, Publisher, EurActiv.com, Tel. +32(0)2.226.58.13, publisher@euractiv.com

Dominique Ostyn, Senior Manager Communications & New Media, Tel: + 32(0)2 788 36 88, communication@euractiv.com 

Note to the editor: 

Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH: The Robert Bosch Stiftung is one of the major German foundations associated with a private company. It holds 92 percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH. Established in 1964, it represents the philanthropic endeavors of Robert Bosch (1861-1942), focussing on the fields of science, health, international relations, education, society, and culture.

Fondation EurActiv PoliTech is a Belgian foundation set up in 2003. Its activities include: research; advice for European media; logistical support to partners; training (to over 100 people, since 2004). Fondation EurActiv also provides EurActiv.com with guidance on editorial strategy and media independence. Over time it is widening its scope to include coaching on policy information and helping non Brussels-based on-line media to get a foothold in EU circles. 

EurActiv is the independent online media network dedicated to EU policy, counting 609,000 unique visitors monthly together with the Web 2.0 platform BlogActiv.eu. Set up in 1999, the network is an important working instrument for actors (institutions, industry federations, NGOs, think tanks, the press and others) involved in defining or influencing EU policies. The EurActiv Network publishes EU policy news and information in 15 languages from offices in the capitals of 15 European countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom and Turkey. The Network's national policy portals are accessible here.

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