The European Journalism Training Association (EJTA) which was established in Brussels in 1990, groups more than 50 Journalism centres, schools and universities from 23 twenty 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 centres, 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.

Membership

There are at present 52 members, with applications from eight more pending.

The members are both vocational and academic institutions and mid-career training centres. Mid-career institutions, involved in forms of professional continuing education, have their own section within the EJTA. EJTA welcomes new members (Apply Now) or contact any of the Board members.

The management of the association

The association operates as democratically and non-bureaucratically as possible.

At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) the development and activities for the next academic year are decided. An executive board is elected, which promotes the activities of the Association. The Board consists of a President, Secretary, Treasurer and two additional members.

The secretariat (info@ejta.eu) is in the hands of the European Journalism Centre which takes care of the administration and works under the supervision of the executive board.

The Board can appoint committees and project managers for short term specific tasks.

Financial support

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 Socrates, Leonardo, Tempus, and Erasmus.

The advantages of membership

As a member of the Association, a journalism training centre benefits from the following:

• the executive board of the Association takes care of the representation of the Association, and the defence of the school's interests within the European institutions, international organisations and the professional associations;
• information about the Association, and about its member schools will regularly be distributed as newsletters and through www.ejta.eu ;
• contacts to promote the exchange of teachers and students, and to access a pool of expertise in arranging exchanges and other projects;
• the right to participate in international or European conferences, workshops, activities and courses organised by training centres;
• the possibility of participating in the common debate about the important questions/problems of journalism and journalism training;
• the possibility of creating specific sections or networks within the Association;
• discount on subscription to the Routledge "Journalism Studies" journal;
• the secretariat and the website can facilitate contacts and projects under the EJTA flag.

Mobility catalogue

One of the benefits of co-operation is the existence of international modules and programmes (undergraduate and post-graduate) that are open to advanced students from the members of the Association. Every programme has its own content and way of admitting students. We have put together a catalogue to help students to work out where they might apply to study. Please see http://www.ejta.eu/index.php/mc

Common debate and research

The Association is always eager to stimulate the exchange of opinions and experience, and to promote debate and research.

With financial support from the European Commission the EJTA was able to initiate and supervise the following pieces of research:

• 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 (see Projects)
• 2008-9 Competences project

EJTA focuses on the Bologna Declaration and its implementation in journalism training.