Call opens for 2018 Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence

Posted on

The call for the 12th edition of the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence (BFJE) is open and will last until March 12.

Experienced journalists from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Greece and Serbia are eligible to apply.

Each year, 10 journalists are chosen through open competition to receive funding and professional support to conduct in-depth research into a topic of regional and EU significance. For 2018, the subject is TRUTH.

Applicants selected by an independent committee to take part in the fellowship will receive a €2,000 bursary and up to another €2,000 for travel and research expenses. They will also attend international seminars and receive continuous one-to-one mentoring for their stories. Stories from the programme will be published by BIRN and by prominent regional and international media outlets. The top three stories, as selected by an independent jury, will also receive cash awards.

The Application Form and Guidelines are on the BFJE website.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence was launched in 2007 to promote high-quality, cross-border reporting. The programme provides fellows with financial and editorial support, enabling them to travel, report and write their stories and develop their journalistic skills.

Aimed at promoting the development of a robust and responsible press, the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence has evolved into a signature programme that has helped shape journalism standards across the Balkans while boosting the careers of participating reporters.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence is implemented by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and supported by ERSTE Foundation and Open Society Foundations.