Author: birnEU

Call for EU Investigative Journalism Award 2023 is now closed

Journalists from the Western Balkans and Türkiye submitted more than 260 applications to the Call for EU Investigative Journalism Award 2023.

A total of 267 applications have been submitted for the EU Investigative Journalism Award 2023, encompassing both national and regional categories. These applications came from seven different countries. This prestigious award honours exceptional investigative stories published in the preceding calendar year.

From the pool of received applications, the evaluation jury will choose the top three stories from each of the seven countries, resulting in 21 selected stories. This selection process ensures that the most outstanding works from each country are recognized and acknowledged.

This year, the EU Award has introduced an exciting addition in the form of a regional award. This category seeks to recognise the finest stories that transcend national boundaries and address issues of significance to the entire region. By creating this new category, the award aims to inspire journalists to broaden their perspective and tackle matters that have a broader impact.

A separate evaluation jury will be established to evaluate the regional award submissions. This dedicated panel will review all entries and select the three stories that have the most substantial regional impact. This initiative will foster a sense of collaboration among journalists and encourage them to delve into regional matters that affect a wider audience.

The annual award fund for each of the countries is 10,000 euros and the prize fund for regional awards is also 10,000 euros. The three best stories of the year are awarded, and the amount for national and regional prizes is 5,000 euros (first place), 3,000 (second), and 2,000 (third).

In the past four years, 84 investigative stories from the Western Balkans and Türkiye produced by 124 journalists were awarded. These stories contributed to resolving cases of power misuse, corruption, organised crime, pollution of the ecosystem, and other wrongdoings.

The organiser of the award is Thomson Media, an organisation with decades of experience in media development and the promotion of media freedom on a global level.

The EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2023 is part of the project “Strengthening Quality Journalism in Western Balkans and Türkiye II”. This aims to recognise and promote outstanding achievements in investigative journalism as well as improve the visibility of quality journalism in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

The project is funded by the European Union, and it is implemented by a consortium composed of Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – BIRN Hub, Central European University (CEU) – Hungary, the Association of Journalists (AJ) – Türkiye, Thomson Media (TM) – Germany, University Goce Delcev Stip (UGD) – North Macedonia, The Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) – North Macedonia, Media Association of South-East Europe (MASE) – Montenegro, and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Kosovo (BIRN Kosovo).

For more details check here.

CALL EXTENSION: Balkan and Visegrad newsrooms apply for Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants

BIRN is extending its call to July 10 for Balkan and Visegrad newsrooms to apply for Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants to receive funding, training, mentoring and access to an innovative digital tool to engage with audiences.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is pleased to announce the extension of the call for applications for the Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants. This program is designed to support journalists from Visegrad and Balkan newsrooms who aspire to create next-level investigative reports by actively engaging with their audiences through an innovative digital tool.

The Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants provide funding, training, and mentoring opportunities for ten (10) media outlets across the following European countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, and Slovakia.

These grants are part of the Media Innovation Europe project, led by the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) in collaboration with Thomson Media (TM) in Berlin, the Media Development Foundation (MDF) in Kyiv, and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in Sarajevo.

Through this program, BIRN aims to empower media outlets to produce impactful and audience-engaged stories that tackle pressing issues within their communities. Successful applicants will receive the necessary resources to create individual or cross-border audience-engaged stories.

Grant Opportunities:

BIRN will award €4,000 to two (2) successful applicants who are interested in producing individual audience-engaged investigative stories.

BIRN will grant €5,000 to eight (8) successful applicants who are interested in producing a cross-border audience-engaged story. In cases where a media outlet already has a media partner for a cross-border story, they may apply together and be eligible for a grant of €10,000 to cover expenses for both parties.

BIRN encourages participants to collaborate and share knowledge to create compelling stories that are relevant and impactful for their audiences. The Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants foster a collaborative environment in which media outlets can come together to share their proficiency and expertise. By working together, media outlets not only enhance their reporting capabilities but also increase their reach and impact.

Who will be supported?

Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants support media outlets that want to engage their audiences in reporting by providing them with training and mentorship in engagement journalism and usage of the Audience-Engaged Tool developed by BIRN.

The Audience-Engaged Tool is an innovative platform that harnesses the power of crowdsourcing to uncover crucial information and untold stories. The online tool enables the direct engagement of many citizens interested in sharing information and evidence related to issues they are facing.

In a four-day online training course, the participating media outlets will learn: how to use the tool to produce engaging and investigative reports; how to select engaging topics; how to develop a callout; how to analyse crowdsourced data; how to incorporate data into stories; and how to shape their story proposal according to audience-engaged journalism.

All participants will gain access to the tool and have a mentor assigned to lead them through the project.

How to apply?

Send us a story proposal in application form before July 10, 2023, following this link.

Before submitting an application, don’t forget to read important information in the call for applications.

More questions?

Read the FAQ.

Write to the project coordinator at [email protected].

Follow BIRN on Facebook and Twitter.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commision. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

BIRN Hosts Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade, Serbia

BIRN hosted Internet Freedom Meet, a four-day conference, in Belgrade, Serbia, from June 26 to 29. The gathering brought together 18 speakers and more than 30 participants – journalists, researchers, media freedom and human rights activists, fact-checkers, and tech enthusiasts working in digital rights.

The four-day event started with a keynote address by Caroline Sinders, a machine-learning-design researcher and artist. Sinders, founder of Convocation Design + Research, has developed expertise at the nexus of machine learning, user research, and public good design through collaborations with such esteemed entities as Amnesty International, IBM Watson and the Wikimedia Foundation.

The first day also featured an engaging roundtable discussion, “Enhancing Internet Freedom Through Digital Rights Activism,” moderated by Sinders. Joining the panel was Rima Sghaier, a respected name in digital rights advocacy, Amar Karađuz from the citizens association “Why Not,” and Bojan Perkov, a digital policy coordinator at the SHARE Foundation. They exchanged thoughts and strategies on bolstering internet freedom through digital rights advocacy. To close the day, Sghaier led a hands-on workshop on “Engaging in Digital Rights Activism.”

The second day shed light on the pressing concern of online-to-offline violence. Carlos Guerra, Technical Advisor on Digital Security at Greater Internet Freedom Project, led the day by giving an introductory address and later moderating a discussion featuring Katarina Golubović, from the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), and Hristina Piskulidis, a Communications Officer at ASTRA.

Both women, experienced in human rights advocacy and eradicating human trafficking, respectively, shared perspectives in the roundtable discussion titled “Preventing Violence: Online Extremism and Offline Consequences.”

Guerra’s afternoon workshop on digital safety in the time of remote work was particularly inspiring to participants who learned how to protect themselves in the work-from-home era.

Later in the day, Anđela Milivojević, an investigative reporter, led a thought-provoking workshop addressing cyberbullying and online harassment in investigative journalism based on her investigative article published by BIRN’s Balkan Insight, which prompted a reaction by Telegram, a 700-million user instant messaging app.

Day three showcased BIRN’s regional research report “Hidden in Plain Sight,” which focuses on the accountability of Balkan telecommunication companies, using the Ranking Digital Rights’ methodology. Dragana Žarković Obradović, BIRN Serbia country director, presented the main findings and led the discussion about the report’s results.

L-R: Dragana Zarkovic Obradovic, Tanja Maksic, Bojan Stojkovski, Ana Toskic-Cvetinovic, Leandro Ucciferri (on screen)

The panel included Leandro Ucciferri, global partnerships manager at Ranking Digital Rights, Tanja Maksić, a researcher and project coordinator from BIRN Serbia, Ana Toskić-Cvetinović, executive director of Partners Serbia, and Bojan Stojkovski, who was one of the researchers for the report.

To close the day, Ivana Jeremić, an editor at Balkan Insight, hosted a workshop that looked closer at BIRN’s recent investigation on so-called “free roaming” in the Balkans.

The final day of the Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade was dominated by discussions on artificial intelligence, AI. Ljubiša Bojić, a senior research fellow at the University of Belgrade’s Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory and a coordinator of Digital Society Lab, gave a thought-provoking keynote address.

A round table discussion on AI accountability, the EU AI Act, and responsible use of AI followed, moderated by Bojić. The discussion was enriched by insights from Deniz Wagner, an adviser to the world’s only intergovernmental media freedom watchdog – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Predrag Tadić, an assistant professor at the University of Belgrade’s School of Electrical Engineering, and Branka Anđelković, programme director of the Public Policy Research Center.

The last session of BIRN’s Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade was Wagner’s workshop, which equipped attendees with tools for advocating responsible AI policies.

Speakers and participants agreed that BIRN’s Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade propelled the dialogue on a variety of critical issues by facilitating the platform for timely and much-needed discussions revolving around internet freedom and digital rights, setting the stage for future discussions and collaborations aimed at safeguarding these integral aspects of our lives in the digital era.

Embark on a Journalistic Journey: BIRN’s Reporting Democracy Launches New Call for Travel and Reporting Programme

BIRN’s Reporting Democracy Travel & Reporting Programme is inviting journalists from the Visegrad region to apply for a grant covering fees and field research expenses. This is a unique opportunity for journalists to report from the Balkans and deepen their understanding of the region.

As part of our unwavering commitment to fostering journalistic cooperation and knowledge exchange between regions, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our Travel & Reporting Grants Program.

This is an exclusive opportunity to embark on a reporting journey, supported by financial assistance, regional expertise and on-the-ground field support in selected countries where BIRN has established offices, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro.

We invite journalists interested in the Balkans to participate in this exceptional program, aimed at generating compelling journalistic output for media outlets in your countries, with the added possibility of being showcased on BIRN’s esteemed Reporting Democracy platform and in prominent local media across the Balkan region.

We encourage the submission of projects for the production of relevant and substantive content. We support production of a variety of journalistic forms, including analysis, investigations, features and interviews. We also welcome cross-border stories, serialized articles, as well as accompanying multimedia material such as videos, photos, and radio or podcast productions.

Elevate your journalistic endeavors, expand your reach and contribute to a thriving media landscape. Apply now and let your stories resonate across borders, engaging audiences with compelling narratives that leave a lasting impression.

Who can apply?

Journalists from Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia can apply for grants. We welcome applications from a diverse range of applicants, including:

  • Individual journalists, whether operating within newsroom structures or working independently as freelancers
  • Collaborative teams consisting of a dynamic mix of reporters, producers, photographers, and video editors
  • Forward-thinking media organisations eager to pursue international and cross-border stories

In this grant cycle, we have limited opportunities available, with a maximum of 5 grants set to be awarded to the most deserving applicants.

Grant Details

Successful applicants will be awarded a grant of 2,500 euros, providing the necessary resources to undertake in-depth and impactful journalism stories.

Important Dates:

  • Application Deadline: July 31, 2023
  • Grant Completion Deadline: December 31, 2023

Each applicant may submit only one application under this grant scheme.

Application Guidelines

To be considered for this grant, your application should include the following components:

  • Engaging Topics: Clearly articulate the compelling topic(s) you intend to report on, showcasing their relevance and potential to captivate your target audience.
  • Balkan Expedition: Present your well-conceived plans for visiting one or more countries within the Balkan region, supported by a tentative timeline that demonstrates your commitment to thorough research and reporting.
  • Publishing and Dissemination Plan: Outline a robust and strategic plan for effectively sharing your journalistic output with the world. Highlight the platforms and channels you will utilize to maximize the impact of your work.

Eligible Expenses

The grant covers a broad range of essential expenses, including:

  • Professional fees
  • Travel costs
  • Accommodation expenses
  • Subsistence allowances during fieldwork
  • Various production costs, such as translation services, fixers, photographers, etc.

How to apply?

To apply for the Travel & Reporting programme, interested individuals and organizations should utilize the designated application form. Two types of application forms are available: one for individual journalists and teams, and another for media organizations.

Any additional documentation required can be submitted in an online format.

The Application Form must be completed in English.

Please ensure that all provided information is clear and comprehensive, as requests for clarification will only be made when the information provided is insufficient for objective assessment.

The deadline for application submission is 23:59 CET on July 31, 2023. Kindly send your completed application to the following address:

[email protected]

Application for the grant:

For any further inquiries or assistance, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to support you throughout the application process.

Evaluation and Selection Process:

Step I: Technical Evaluation

On receiving applications, the BIRN staff will conduct a thorough technical evaluation. This evaluation will ensure that applicants have adhered to the application procedures and submitted all the required documents.

Step II: Editorial Board Evaluation

After the technical evaluation, the applications will undergo a comprehensive assessment by our editorial board. The board will evaluate the applicants based on predetermined criteria, including the quality of the proposed idea, feasibility of the plan, and the potential to effectively reach the intended audience.

Step III: Notification of Applicants

Following the evaluation process, all applicants will be promptly notified of the outcomes. Successful applicants will receive notification by August 15, 2023.

We appreciate your patience during the evaluation period and assure you that we will provide timely updates about your application. We value your dedication to journalistic excellence and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to work with the selected individuals and organisations.

BIRN Serbia Holds Training on Illicit Financial Flows

BIRN Serbia organised a day-long training on investigating money laundering. The training, “Illicit Financial Flow and Money Laundering”, on June 22, in Belgrade, was designed to equip fellow journalists with the knowledge and practical tools required to detect and report on this type of crime.

Representatives of various national and local media organisations gathered in Belgrade for four distinct sessions on complementary methodologies presented by BIRN Serbia staff.

Participants underwent a comprehensive training program which examined the entirety of the investigative process.

Practical advice was presented on searching open source intelligence such as public registries and databases to identify potential money laundering cases, recognizing the means through which criminals attempt to clean “dirty” money, processing and visualisation of big data, and current legal practice regarding such criminal cases.

Working breaks between sessions saw presenters take the time to make themselves available for direct consultation. Participants engaged staff for suggestions on their own specific projects, thus enriching the training experience.

Reviews of the program were overwhelmingly positive.

“The attention to detail was immaculate, presenters were clearly experienced and sought to walk us through every step of the investigative process from top to bottom using concrete examples from their own work,” one attendee noted.

The training was held as part of the project “Uncovering Illicit Financial Flows in the Western Balkans”, financed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ.

The overall goal of the project is to raise public awareness about illicit financial flows and provide a basis for decision and opinion makers to boost efforts to combat illicit financial flow.

It aims to increase the pool of journalists in Western Balkan countries equipped with tools and techniques in uncovering illicit financial flows, especially across borders.

Applications Open: BIRN Internet Freedom Meet 2023 in Belgrade

BIRN is thrilled to announce that applications are now open for our Belgrade Internet Freedom Meet 2023!

This event, set in Belgrade, Serbia, from June 26-29, brings together some of the top minds in digital rights and internet freedom to explore, learn, and collaborate together. Our program is packed with a series of thought-provoking plenary sessions, engaging roundtable discussions, hands-on workshops, and networking events that aim to empower, educate, and inspire.

What’s on the Agenda?

Our agenda promises a robust blend of plenary sessions, engaging roundtable discussions, practical workshops, and networking opportunities aiming to provoke thought, foster learning, and inspire change.

Each day commences with invigorating plenary sessions featuring renowned speakers who will lead discussions on pressing issues like digital rights and digital activism, internet freedoms, online-to-offline violence, and ethical and regulatory measures around AI. Round discussions follow by opening the floor for an interactive dialogue on subjects ranging from enhancing internet freedom, preventing online extremism consequences, privacy issues, and personal data protection to responsible AI use. 

Moderated by industry trailblazers, these sessions provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and in-depth discussions. Next, our hands-on workshops offer a chance to develop practical skills in crucial areas such as digital rights activism, addressing cyberbullying in journalism, advocating for responsible AI strategies, and more. These sessions are designed to be interactive and provide invaluable networking opportunities.

Why Should You Apply?

The BIRN Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade is an opportunity to engage with leading experts, gain new insights, and contribute to building a future where the Internet is free, safe, and empowering for all. Whether you’re a digital rights activist, tech enthusiast, academic, journalist, or just a concerned netizen, your voice matters in this critical discourse, and you are welcome to apply.

How to Apply

Applications are now open to the public, but seats are limited. Please complete the following application form by June 15, 2023, at 5 pm CET, to ensure your place at the BIRN Internet Freedom Meet 2023.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn about and influence our digital world. BIRN will cover accommodation and travel expenses for selected participants. We look forward to your applications!

BIRN Serbia Awards Small Grants for Reporting on Artificial Intelligence and Surveillance

After BIRN Serbia trained ten journalists to report on the development and use of surveillance technology and artificial intelligence, AI, half of the participants have been provided with funding to work on stories on this topic.

The training was held on April 28 in Belgrade as part of the programe “Artificial Intelligence and Surveillance Technologies – Challenges of Media Reporting”.

Journalists learned how to recognise and monitor use of artificial intelligence and surveillance technologies. Following the training, five participants were awarded small grants of $480 US to report on this topic.

Grants were awarded to: Bojana Vlajović Savić (Res Publica), Slađana Majdak (BETA agency), Slaviša Milenković (Kruševacpress), Filip Mirilović (weekly Vreme), and Mila Tomić (Ozon press).

Surveillance is gaining more and more importance and while journalists should contribute to the transparency and accountability of the government’s use of these technologies, they often lack the skills needed to report on this topic.

That is why the training was aimed at strengthening the capacities of newsrooms to recognize and follow trends in the development and application of these technologies. Participants also received practical advice on how to improve reporting on the effects of surveillance on citizens’ rights.

“People often complain that the state and its institutions do not keep up with modern technology and the opportunities it provides us. Unfortunately, there are indications that they are keeping up, but they are not using these possibilities in the best interest of citizens,” says Radmilo Marković, one of the lecturers.

“Instead, these technologies are being used for who knows whose personal or group interests. That’s why it is important to draw attention to this and this workshop gave us some concrete tools and guidelines on how such things should be investigated,” he added.

Journalists were introduced to the concept of using algorithmic tools for automating decisions, surveillance equipment and other monitoring and profiling technologies, the consequences of their use for the rights of citizens, and how to follow the money trail and procurement of equipment and software for the aforementioned technologies.

The training leaders were experts in the field of the use of surveillance technologies and their impact on the realization of guaranteed rights: Ana Toskić Cvetinović, executive director of the organisation Partners Serbia, Danilo Ćučić, program coordinator of the A11 Initiative and Filip Milošević, from the SHARE Foundation.

Part of the training reflected the experience of BIRN’s newsroom. BIRN editor Milorad Ivanović and journalists Aleksa Tešić and Radmilo Marković shared the knowledge and techniques they applied while working on stories such as procurement of surveillance equipment by Serbian public energy company EPS and use of a software for espionage in Serbia.

BIRN Serbia Holds Training on Monitoring Local Govts’ Tender Spendings

BIRN Serbia held a training on monitoring local government spending through public tenders for 13 local journalists and civil society representatives from Nis, Leskovac, and Vranje.

The workshop, entitled “Monitoring local public tenders”, was held in Nis and organised by BIRN Serbia, Civic Initiatives and the Committee for Human Rights Nis on May 12.

The training provided practical advice on data collection and processing techniques, publicly available resources that can help the media and civil society monitor how local governments allocate public funds through tenders, as well as information on risk points and possible abuses.

New data published in BIRN’s database show that during 2022, the Serbian state distributed 6.8 billion dinars, or about 58 million euros, through public tenders.

However, this money was often wasted and regularly used to finance GONGO organisations and tabloids.

During the workshop, BIRN, together with its partners, shared tools and knowledge with journalists and activists so they could report on public spendings through project financing, monitor money flows and analyse public finances, and thus contribute to greater transparency on budget spending and authorities’ accountability. The workshop program focused on previously identified problematic points:

  • stages of the competition at which abuses may occur – and how to report on this
  • the silence of institutions – how to use requests for access to information of public importance to obtain data
  • GONGOs – how to recognize them

“Our goal is to strengthen the local media and provide them with the methodology and knowledge we used in our research and database creation, so that they have the tools to follow and report on this topic,” said Tanja Maksić, BIRN Serbia program manager and the author of the methodology based on which BIRN’s database on public tenders was collected and presented.

“The more eyes that are focused on the spending of the state budget, the less room there will be for abuses. Empowered journalists are indispensable partners in this process,” she added.

The workshop was organised as part of the project “Publicly about public tenders”, which also created the largest database of open data on public tenders.

BIRN Holds Training on Data Journalism, Digital Security, in Georgia

As part of the project exploring foreign influences in the Balkans, South Caucasus and Central Asia, Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network and its partners organized a workshop in Tbilisi, Georgia, to boost skills and foster networking among participants from the three regions.

A three-day training on storytelling, digital security and data journalism took place in the Georgian capital on February 21-23, gathering around 20 journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The workshop is part of the project “Spheres of Influence Uncovered”, jointly implemented by BIRN, German NGO n-ost, Uzbek’s Anhor and Georgian JAMNews media outlets.

The workshop aimed at equipping participants with journalistic knowledge and skills needed not only for the sake of the project – during which they will map foreign influences and produce country-based and cross-border stories – but in their everyday work as well.

During the storytelling training, held by the managing editor of BIRN’s Balkan Insight, Dusica Tomovic, participants learned about what makes a good story, what are major reporting phases and the importance of knowing your audience.

BIRN journalist and digital security trainer Milica Stojanovic walked the participants through security of communication, types of danger, encryption and useful apps. Aleksandra Shalibashvili, a researcher and a project coordination at Tbilisi-based ForSet, an enterprise strengthening change-makers is use of data, design, and technology, talked about using data in an effective manner, must-have data tools as well as data visualization.

Apart from the official training sessions, participants spent time sharing experiences and spotting similarities between their three regions in relation to China, Russia, the EU and other actors. Part of the workshop was also a guided walking tour around Tbilisi, focusing on the various influences on Georgia over time, as well as on the current foreign direct investments and foreign economic activities in the South Caucasus country.

The project “Spheres of Influence Uncovered” aims to contribute to a better understanding of the roles that three key international players – the EU, Russia and China – have on the seven project countries’ economies. In the course of this, participating journalists will map economic activities among these three players and identify the main challenges and consequences for their countries. This project is partly a follow-up on BIRN’s previous work in the sphere of foreign economic activities, explored in the interactive map China in the Balkans.

In the coming months, more skills-building activities will take place in the Balkans and Central Asia, while the first country-based and cross-border long reads are to be published soon.

BIRN Kicks Off Project Strengthening Quality Journalism in Western Balkans and Turkey II

Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network BIRN hosted a kick-off meeting for representatives of media organisations and higher education institutions from six Western Balkan countries, Türkiye and Hungary on February 20-23 in Belgrade, Serbia.

In the next three years, BIRN Hub will continue to provide systemic support to improve the quality and professionalism of journalism in the Western Balkans and Türkiye through the project Strengthening Quality Journalism II funded by the European Union.

Together, Central European University, the Association of Journalists from Türkiye, Thomson Media, University Goce Delcev Stip, the Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers from North Macedonia, Media Association of South-East Europe from Montenegro and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Kosovo (BIRN Kosovo) will implement actions to strengthen trust-based engagement between citizens and media, provide resources and support for high-quality content production through education, training, mentoring, and supply editorial support.

Different trainings will be provided to young and mid-career journalists followed by editorial support. At the same time, mainstream and public service media will be included in the project activities, especially oriented towards content production through cross-border collaborations.

Through the already recognized EU awards scheme and the new regional award, the project will promote high standards in investigative journalism. Academia will be involved through different activities, among them working on a Master’s level programme for investigative journalism.

Over the three days, BIRN Hub and its seven partner organizations met and planned project actions that aim to support 600 young and mid-career journalists to produce quality news and conduct investigative reporting, provide journalism training, funds for content production and awards for merits in investigative reporting.

The partners also shared lessons learned from the previous phase of the project implemented over the past four years. In the previous phase, 1,000 journalists enhanced their skills through a set of different tailor-made capacity-building activities and over 1,500 pieces of quality news were produced. Cross-border stories, news, documentaries and investigations were developed and awarded through the EU awards.

This article was created with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of BIRN and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.