Google offers new scholarship for UCLan course on journalism

The face of journalism is changing, and it is imperative for journalism professionals to assess new ways of working and upskill themselves to be adequately prepared for new challenges. Current and future journalists now have an opportunity to become successful leaders and innovators in an ever-changing digital media landscape with a new postgraduate certificate course in journalism by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

In order to improve accessibility to the course, UCLan has teamed up with Google to launch a new scholarship scheme that will enable ten students to receive funding to enroll in a UCLan’s Postgraduate Certificate in Journalism Innovation and Leadership programme.

The scholarship will cover the course fees for successful applicants for the one-year blended learning, part-time postgraduate certificate course which will launch in January 2021. This partnership which is supported by the Google News Initiative will offer up to ten scholarship places for successful applicants.

UCLan’s course in journalism features online and face-to-face learning and offers structured mentoring opportunities where each student is assigned to an experienced industry leader, giving it the edge over similar programmes.

The course structure designed in close consultation with the Society of Editors UK and an advisory board of alumni and other industry thought leaders and aims to attract industry professionals wanting to take the lead in developing modern, digital newsrooms.

Dr François Nel who is the programme coordinator at the university said, “Steering a news media organisation has never been easy, but it is probably never been more challenging than it is today. Our revised and the renamed programme is an outcome of deep academic-industry partnerships and it fills a pressing need for a practical university-certified course that will equip the next generation of journalism leaders with the competence to innovative – and the innovators with the confidence to lead,”

Dr Nel added, “We are delighted that the support from the Google News Initiative allows us to open up the opportunity to the next generation of diverse news media leaders, particularly those working in the local and regional press.”

Head of Partnerships & Training for Google News Initiative, Matt Cooke said that this initiative supports a new chapter for digital transformation training at the university.

“The programme curriculum will include real industry insights and builds on emerging technologies and trends. It will also offer mid-career opportunities to candidates who successfully complete the programme,” Cooke added.

Clare Cook who is the leader of the course commented, ” There is so much changing in the journalism landscape that agile thinking is more important than ever. It is essential we carve out space for leaders of the future to step back and critically think about best route maps forward.”

She added, “There are so many inspiring cases out there: from the solutions-driven projects of Daraj in Lebanon to the podcasting business model of SOWT in Jordan, new models for engaging communities by the Bureau Local and data-led insights of German-based Krautreporter. We will look across and beyond these cases to shine a light on viable and vibrant journalism futures.”

More information about UCLan’s Postgraduate Certificate in Journalism Innovation and Leadership and available scholarship can be found at the university’s website.