The program brings about 200 emerging leaders
in the field of journalism from around the world to examine
journalistic practices in the United States. Planned for
April 7-28, 2007, the program is an innovative public-private
partnership between the Department of State, the Aspen Institute,
and 12 leading U.S. schools of journalism. Working in conjunction
with these partners, the Department of State's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs developed a specialized
International Visitor Leadership Program to engage young
international media professionals in dialogue with their
U.S. counterparts.
The visitors will begin their program
with an orientation in the nation's capital (April 9-11)
that will offer overviews of U.S. foreign policy objectives
and the practice of journalism in the United States. They
will then travel in groups according to their regions of
origin or language for academic seminars and field activities
with faculty and students at one of twelve host campuses
as follows (April 12-18):
-- Africa (Francophone) group: University
Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism;
-- Africa (Anglophone) group: University of Kentucky,
School of Journalism & Telecommunications;
-- East Asia (Chinese) group: University Minnesota, School
of Journalism & Mass Communication;
-- East Asia (English) group: University of Texas at Austin,
School of Journalism;
-- Europe (English) group: Louisiana State University,
Manship School of Mass Communications;
-- Europe (Russian) group: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
Department of Journalism;
-- Multi-Regional (English) group: American University,
School of International Service, International Communication
Division;
-- Near East (French) group: Syracuse University, Newhouse
School of Public Communications & Maxwell School of
Citizenship and Public Affairs;
-- Near East (Arabic) group: Boston University College
of Communications, Dept. of Journalism and University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;
-- South Asia (English) group: University of Southern
California-Annenberg School of Communications; and
-- Western Hemisphere (Spanish) group: University of Oklahoma,
Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication.
The journalism schools will design specialized
courses for their international counterparts to examine journalistic
principles and practices, both in the United States and around
the world. The universities are generously contributing their
resources, time and talent to make this program possible.
Finally, the journalists will travel to several contrasting
cities and small American towns to gain an understanding of
media coverage of state politics and government and to observe
American civic life and grassroots involvement in political
affairs in smaller towns. The program will conclude in Washington,
D.C., with a symposium hosted by the Aspen Institute to highlight
current trends and challenges facing the media in the United
States and around the world.
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