The European Journalism Training Association (EJTA) was established in Brussels in 1990. It groups about 80 journalism centers, schools and universities from about 30 countries across Europe.
They work together to improve journalism education in Europe, enabling members to collaborate on exchanges and teaching and research projects, and meet regularly to exchange ideas and information.
Membership of the EJTA is institutional and not individual. The Association is a non-profit organisation and legal body under Dutch Law.
The most important aim of the Association is to stimulate European co-operation in journalism education and mid-career training between non-profit training centers, and to develop a professional approach towards journalism training.
The Association:
- Organizes conferences and seminars to encourage discussion about the important questions of the journalistic profession and its training problems,
- stimulates long and medium term exchanges of students and lecturers,
- organises research at a European level on important issues in journalism training,
- represents its members and defends their interests in contacts with institutional partners, such as the European Commission, UNESCO, and associations of journalists and editors,
- arranges common practical exercises and common international programmes and projects.
The association’s income derives from membership fees. To finance the different activities, the Board may draw on various European institutions such as the European Commission, Council of Europe and on other programmes such as Erasmus+.
With financial support from the European Commission, The Council of Europe and the Evens Foundation EJTA was able to supervise and initiate the following pieces of research and to create and participate in the following projects:
- 1994: Rights and obligations of journalists in Europe
- 1995: New technologies in European journalism training
- 1997: Curriculum development in European journalism
- 1998: Local and Regional Journalism
- 2006: The Tartu Declaration
- 2008-9 Competences project
- 2013: The Tartu Declaration (revised)
- 2015: EUfactcheck.eu (project and platform)
- 2019: Journalistic Roles, Values and Qualifications in the 21st century (research)
- 2019: DESTIN - Journalism Education for Democracy in Ukraine: Developing Standards, Integrity and Professionalism
- 2020: Guidelines: Methodology and lessons learned in EUfactcheck
- 2020: The Tartu Declaration (2nd revision)
- 2022: Handbook: Multimedia Storytelling
- 2022: How to Teach Inclusive Journalism (pilot project and inspiration seminar)
- 2022: COPE - Covering Cohesion Policy in Europe - Training MOOC for European Journalism Students
EJTA focuses on the Bologna Declaration and its implementation in journalism training.
EJTA Board:
- Nadia Vissers (AP Hogeschool - Belgium): Director
- Eric Nahon (Institut Pratique du Journalisme Dauphine | PSL): President
- Anne Leppäjärvi (Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences - Finland)
- Carien Touwen (HU Utrecht University of Applied Sciences - The Netherlands)
- Nikolaus Koller (Österreichische Medienakademie - Austria)
- Tiko Tsomaia (Georgian Institute of Public Affairs - Georgia)