Science Journalism Initiative

Robert Bosch Stiftung, the Stifterverband der Deutschen Wissenschaft, and BASF extend their Science Journalism Training Program

Stuttgart/Essen/Ludwigshafen/Bremen – 26 November 2007 –Robert Bosch Stiftung, the German science foundation association Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, and BASF will launch their new Science Journalism Initiative on 1 January 2008. It is an extension of the Science Journalism Training Program originally launched by Bertelsmann Stiftung, Volkswagen Stiftung and BASF, which ends in December 2007.

The aim of the new initiative is to promote independent and high-quality reporting in the field of science journalism in Germany. From early 2008 until the end of 2011, the Science Journalism Initiative will organize advanced training programs and networking activities for science journalists in Germany. The three new partners will endow the initiative with more 500,000 euros each year. The first calls for applications to the new program will be published in 2008.

Ingrid Wünning Tschol, Director of the Program Area “Science and Research” at Robert Bosch Stiftung, comments the launch of the program: “With this initiative, Robert Bosch Stiftung is returning to its tradition from the period 1980-1995 of implementing superb science journalism programs. The media landscape has changed since then, and science journalism faces major challenges.”

Volker Meyer-Guckel, Deputy Secretary-General of Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, adds: “The Stifterverband has been committed to dialog with the media for many years and has always followed the Science Journalism Training Program with great interest. We are delighted to now contribute to bringing the network that evolved from the program into the future.”

Christian Schubert, Director of Corporate Communications at BASF Group, says: “BASF has contributed in the form of the Science Journalism Training Program to promoting media reporting on issues in science and technology. In doing so, we hope to have increase interest in and improved understanding of these topics among the wider public. This is why we are very happy to remain committed to the initiative in cooperation with our new partners.”

The Science Journalism Initiative will consist of beginners’ programs, advanced training seminars, research support, and trips and other events for science journalists. Next year, the “WissenWerte” science journalism conference in Bremen will take place with the support of the Science Journalism Initiative.

The Initiative’s office will be located at the Institute of Journalism at Technische Universität Dortmund. This university was chosen following a multi-phase selection procedure in which seven German universities participated. The management of the project will remain in the experienced hands of current project managers Holger Hettwer and Franco Zotta.

Background: The Science Journalism Training Program, which ran from 2002 to 2007, consisted of three different strands of training and further education opportunities for journalists and scientists. The further education component offered both journalists and scientists advanced training seminars, a mentoring program for scientists, and summer academies for journalists from leading media. The training component supported individual courses of study to help establish specific training opportunities for science journalists in Germany. The dialog component promoted exchanges and networking between science and the media by supporting the “WissensWerte” science journalism conference as well as the creation of an Internet portal.