AU Media Fellowship for African Journalists 2022

Are you an African journalist, blogger, vlogger, content creator, or podcaster living and working in Africa or the diaspora? Are you passionate about promoting development-focused stories using emerging technologies, and through visual, written, oral and digital media? Apply for the inaugural African Union Media Fellowship.

As Africa moves into the 4th industrial revolution, with emerging technologies, African storytellers are now challenged to think of how to deploy new media technologies for citizen engagement to address the changing communications landscape. To ensure Africa remains in the race with the rest of the world, and benefit from digital transformation, the African Union (AU) Information and Communication Directorate has joined forces with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) AU office to create the AU Media Fellowship. The Fellowship brings together innovation and creativity to present under-reported stories that break-down stereotypes and create new narratives for the Africa We Want.

The objectives of the AU Media Fellowship is to:

1. Train and build the capacity of journalists and/or content creators, to leverage creativity and innovation within the continent;
2. Build capacity around innovative and transformative tools in journalism and media; and
3. Create a platform for journalists to network and share best practices on the future of journalism

The Fellowship programme will kick-off with a study tour and capacity building workshops. The 20 selected fellows will benefit from direct access to various African Union leadership, and have the opportunity for on-the-ground reporting on the AU’s work around the Agenda 2063 strategic aspirations.

About African Union

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). The main objectives of the OAU were to rid the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonisation and apartheid; to promote unity and solidarity amongst African States; to coordinate and intensify cooperation for development; to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and to promote international cooperation... read more... read more

AU Media Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of AU Media Fellowship

• International Study Trips and exposure
• Certified workshops and webinars with renowned international partners such as Deutsche Welle, BBC Media Action, Hass-Plattner-Institute, the AU, and international media houses
• Access to AU leadership and policy makers and network with other Fellows
• Support from Senior Mentors and Institutions
• Fellows awarded grants to enable them to produce detailed stories

Requirements for AU Media Fellowship Qualification

• The AU Media Fellowship is open to journalists, bloggers, vloggers, content creators, and podcasters living on the continent or the diaspora.
• Fellows must be actively involved in innovative media either as a journalist or related field of work for at least three years with a demonstrable impact-driven track record.
• All applicants for the AU Media Fellowship must be working journalists with at least three years of full-time, professional journalism experience or in a related field. Internships and journalism-related work completed as a university student do not count as professional experience.
• Applicants may be affiliated or freelance journalists. However, all applicants must provide a reference letter or endorsement from a senior editor.
• Applicants must speak, read, and write English fluently in order to fully participate in and benefit from the Fellowship.
• With their application, the Fellows confirm willingness to report on African Union events and themes, as well as availability to be interviewed about the fellowship by international partners.
• The Fellows confirm willingness to participate in events and workshops for duration of the fellowship.
• Fellows must be able to travel to Berlin June 2022 and meet all criteria for eligibility for a Schengen Visa in their country, including but not limited to:
  • Having a valid passport at least until December 2022
  • Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 ( Find out more details on the website of the German Embassy in your country.)
  • We will provide you with the necessary documents needed for your visa application. You will be responsible for acquiring the visa.
  • All travel costs will be reimbursed and covered by us.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit AU website.