Reuters fellowships for mid-career journalists

Reuters fellowships for mid-career journalists

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) based at University of Oxford, United Kingdom, has invited application for fully funded fellowships from well-established mid-career journalists from throughout the world.

Applicants must have a minimum of five years experience in any branch of journalism and demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English to be able to participate fully in the life of the programme and write a research paper in English of publishable quality.

Priority will be given to journalists proposing research projects within the areas of focus of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. Other areas of research can be considered provided these are clearly related to the professional work of applicants and will lead to greater excellence in journalism.

Duration

Fellowships may be for three, six or nine months covering one or two terms or a full academic year respectively.  Dates of entry are agreed with the Head of the Fellowship Programme.

Funding

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 Thomson Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme pay the travel or living costs of visiting spouses or dependents.

About the programme

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 has 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.

The types of fellowship include Open Fellowships, Thomson Reuters Foundation Fellowship, Gerda-Henkel Fellowship for Journalists in the field of Humanities, Wincott Fellowships for Journalists from Eastern Europe, Sponsored Fellowships, Donald McDonald Australian Broadcasting Corporation Scholarship, Austrian Press Agency Alfred Geiringer Fellowship,British Broadcasting Corporation, British Council Chevening Scholarship, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation Fellowship and Mona Megalli Fellowship.

Application materials

An online application system will be in place shortly.  However, these are the materials you will need:

1.Completed application form which can be downloaded from the website.
2.A full curriculum vitae
3.A personal statement  outlining  i) your journalistic values,ii) the major trends in the media landscape in which you work, and iii) a summary of what you think you would contribute to the Fellowship programme  (no more than 500 words).
4.A statement of up to 1,000 words explaining your proposed research project
5.A reference from your employer, supporting your application and granting leave of absence
6.A second professional reference (e.g. former employer).

Print Journalists

Please provide three articles or reports (more than three will not be reviewed), including dates and names of the publications.
A translation into English must accompany material published in other languages.
Applicants in managerial or editorial positions for whom it would be difficult to send work samples should include a statement of up to 500 words describing their work.
     
Broadcast Journalists

A video, audio-cassette or CD/DVD (maximum 10 minutes) with an example of your work, plus a brief, written description of the material. Please note that other formats cannot be accepted.
A summary or transcription in English must accompany material in other languages.
A statement of up to 500 words describing your work and including details of any major programmes for which you have been responsible.

If your first language is not English, you must supply suitable evidence (an original certificate that is not more than two years old and issued by the responsible body) that you have reached the relevant standard.

The deadline for submitting applications will be 1st February 2011.

Log on to the following site for all the details  http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/fellowships