One-Month Regional Exchange Programme for Journalists from Western Balkans

This programme offers a unique opportunity for participants to familiarize themselves with different newsrooms from around the region, enabling them to acquire new skills and expertise in investigative news production while fostering knowledge exchange among their peers.

The One-Month Regional Exchange Programme is a capacity-building opportunity for media, editors and journalists from the Western Balkans. The aim is to facilitate the production of quality news and an investigative production environment by enabling both parties to engage in knowledge exchange, comprehensive mentoring and cross-border approaches.

BIRN and the hosting media will develop exchange programmes addressing the needs and expectations of hosting media and editors/ journalists. The programme will serve as a guideline for the whole exchange and will result in the production ofcross-border stories, enhancing both short-term and long-term regional collaboration between the host media and the participating editors/ journalists, enabling them to investigate stories with effects that surpass national borders.

Who is it designed for?

• The exchange programme is designed for both media and editors/journalists from the Western Balkan countries. It will create new opportunities for the host media to share their knowledge with colleagues from other media in the Western Balkan region. On the other side, it will provide an opportunity for editors/journalists to spend one month immersed in a host media distinct from their country of origin while at the same time working together.
• The host media and the editors / journalists will be selected through an open call, in accordance with the predefined selection criteria.
• The editors / journalists will be given an opportunity to:
  • choose from a list of host media selected by BIRN and/or
  • share a list of preferable host media if it is different from the already selected ones.

Benefits and logistics for the journalists/editors

• BIRN will cover the travel, accommodation, and bursary costs for the selected journalists/editors.

Participating Editors’ and Journalists role

• Within this call, a total of twelve (12) participating editors and journalists will be carefully chosen. Each is anticipated to:
  • Actively participate in the one-month exchange programme during 2024, as per the developed exchange programmme
  • Collaborate with more senior colleagues from the host media and gain insider knowledge on different editorial policies and journalistic techniques, which can be replicated in the newsroom back home.
  • Produce at least two (2) cross-border, in-depth stories together with the host media. The publication of the stories can be during or after the regional exchange programme.

Eligibility Criteria

• Journalists/editors from six (6) Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) are eligible to apply to this call.
• To apply for the programme, journalists are required to meet the following criteria:
  • Be a resident of one of the six Western Balkans countries.
  • Have at least three years’ track record of working in the journalism sector.
  • Demonstrate a strong motivation and commitment to participation in the programme.
  • Be available to spend one month in a host media located in a Western Balkan country distinct from her/his country of residence.

For more information, visit BIRN.