Reporters Without Borders Berlin Scholarship Programme 2024 (Fully Funded)

Applications are being accepted for the Berlin Fellowship Programme: Empowering Journalists in the Digital Field by Reporters Without Borders Germany. Six journalists from crisis areas will be invited to Berlin for a period of six months, starting in May 2024 and ending at the end of October 2024.

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The recipients of the fellowship will have time for leisure during their stay in Berlin, where they will also finish an extensive course on digital self-defense for journalists. The Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises provides funding for the programme.

Requirements

Bloggers, media experts, professional journalists, and citizen journalists who

  • Are willing to fully engage in the programme.

  • Are able to do so, and are exposed to various forms of digital threats and violence, such as doxing or impersonation.

  • They also want to learn more about digital security to enhance their own security and the security of their sources.

  • Finally, they want to share the knowledge they gain from the scholarship programme with colleagues back home.

  • Ideally, they have prior experience teaching or in other knowledge transfer-related fields.

  • We anticipate that applicants will be able to participate in all programme activities, including the in-depth instruction on digital security.

  • For the training term, please budget 20 to 25 hours each week.

  • During the selection process, applications covering investigative journalism on subjects like labour rights, migration, corruption, or the climate crisis will be given favourable attention.

Benefits

  • Reporters Without Borders will provide housing and payment for a flat in Berlin for the term of the scholarship, cover all travel expenses, handle visa-related issues, award a monthly allowance of €1000, cover health insurance, and pay for public transport in Berlin.

  • Each fellow will take part in a multi-month, in-depth digital security training programme led by knowledgeable instructors.

  • In addition, recipients of scholarships will have access to information about Reporters Without Borders Germany, a human rights and journalism organisation with a global reach, during their time in Berlin.

Time spent in Berlin

  • There is a six-month maximum stay.

  • It begins in early May 2024 and runs through the end of October 2024.

  • The selected participants will be informed of the precise dates of the journey to and from Berlin.

Eligibility

If you would like to apply,

  • Must demonstrate a strong desire to learn in-depth information about digital security for journalists,

  • Possess sufficient experience working as a journalist—whether as a professional or citizen journalist

  • Possess an exceptionally strong command of the English language, as the fellowship programme will be conducted entirely in that language.

  • It’s not necessary to have extensive knowledge about digital security.

  • Anyone who is comfortable using a computer and smartphone is eligible to apply; however, they must be able to participate completely in all programme activities (see the section above on Who Can Apply).

  • Additionally, they must demonstrate their willingness to return to their home region following their fellowship in Germany.

Application materials

To apply for the Berlin Fellowship Programme, kindly complete the

  • the application.

  • the inquiry form

  • To apply for the programme, kindly email the following four documents in four different PDF files.

  • A duly filled-out and signed application form

  • the finished survey

  • your resume along

  • with a proof of identity (passport or ID)