Oxford Climate Journalism Network Programme

The Oxford Climate Journalism Network is a unique opportunity to join a global network, and learn from peers and academics, while developing your own expertise and career in climate journalism.

Members of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network will participate in a six-month online programme with access to world-leading experts, dedicated workshops and a community of 100 journalists from all continents.

Please keep in mind that this is an intensive programme that requires member involvement. They expect participants to join a series of mandatory sessions, and they also host a range of optional sessions that help them build their community.

Successful applicants will be expected to:

• Join 14 mandatory sessions. These are one introductory session, one closing session and 12 keynote 90-minute seminars held every two weeks. These mandatory sessions are usually held Tuesdays at 13:00 UK time to allow for maximum time zone coverage. This unfortunately results in inconvenient hours for colleagues in East Asia, the Pacific and Western North America.
• Join the community’s dedicated online platform and engage with other members there
• Join 60-minute optional sessions whenever possible. These are often held at 13:00 UK time, but may vary to allow for better hours for colleagues. They usually run around 25 optional sessions, in addition to the 14 mandatory sessions.
• Engage with the network’s community, including discussion with colleagues on an online platform, and participating whenever possible in additional activities and events
• Complete three brief questionnaires tracking their knowledge through the process, including a survey in June, another one in December and a mid-course survey.

Who should apply?

• The course is designed for reporters from all beats, desks and formats that are interested in improving their coverage of climate change. This course is not only for climate specialists, although they are also welcome to apply.
• The course aims to broaden the scope of climate change journalism. As a result, journalists, multimedia reporters, photographers and editors from beats such as sports, business and politics are encouraged to apply. This is not a course for students or for PR professionals. Only practising journalists should apply.
• Applicants should have the written support of their line manager to attend the 14 mandatory sessions and join the rest of the programme.

What are they looking for?

• Candidates will be evaluated solely on their application form materials.
• They are looking for journalists from all beats, platforms and levels of seniority that are passionate about climate coverage. Successful applicants have included junior reporters from France and Venezuela, editors in chief from Belgium and Tanzania, financial reporters from India and Chile and generalists from the US and Fiji.
• They are looking for clear reasons why applicants want to join the Network and for clear support from the applicant’s newsroom (or editor, if freelance).
• They are looking for both applicants from traditional climate journalism spaces (environment correspondent or climate editor, for instance), but they also want to hear from beats, newsroom roles and regions that are not prioritised in global climate coverage. This includes, for instance, fashion and political reporters, photojournalists and fact checkers, and journalists based in the Global South.

Application guidelines

The deadline for applications is October 13, 2024. For more information about this opportunity and to apply, please click here.