Arena is once again partnering with the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung to support 16 journalists to begin a cross-border investigation.
Our hugely popular European Collaborative Journalism Programme (ECJP) is now open for applications for a 2026 cohort.
Find out more and apply here by January 4 2026.
Why learn about collaborative journalism?
Many of today’s global crises – organised crime, migration, the climate emergency – reach beyond national borders and are complex to research and cover. Our two-part programme brings you together with other fantastic junior and mid-career journalists, and expert trainers, to learn how to successfully conduct collaborative, cross-border investigations. In a time when investigative journalism is an ever scarcer resource, time-pressured, and disconnected from its audience, cross-border stories do cut through the noise.
Collaboration across borders helps journalists to share resources, expertise and insight, and can make journalism more accessible by bringing a cross-cultural angle to work that might otherwise have been limited to one locale or standpoint. Jointly publishing also allows teams to blend audiences and often widen their own.
What’s the framework?
The ECJP consists of two meetings. The first is a residential in Siggen, Germany where you will meet with your cohort and our experts, who will provide an introduction and training on cross-border collaborative journalism. The cohort is encouraged to build up a network together, exploring and discussing collaborative story ideas, and to begin working on them. You’ll receive feedback, but you’ll also have time to reflect on your own work practices with fireside talks and beach walks — valuable downtime that is hard to come by for journalists these days.
The second meeting is at Arena’s Dataharvest conference in Mechelen, Belgium, in May. There you can continue to work on your stories with each other, reconnect with your cohort and discuss your progress, as well as widen your networking with other investigative journalists at the conference. There will be a cohort dinner, and you’ll be able to attend all the amazing sessions at Dataharvest 2026.
The Toepfer Foundation covers all costs including your travel fees to both venues, accommodation, meals and the Dataharvest Conference ticket. Participants are expected to attend both parts of the programme.
Who can apply?
Junior and mid-career journalists from the 46 countries within the Council of Europe. You can be freelancers or staff, but you should already have first experiences with collaborative journalism or firmly intend to work in this field.
What are the dates?
Deadline for applications: January 4 2026
Part 1: 23-27 March 2026: Conference Centre Gut Siggen, Baltic Sea, Northern Germany
Part 2: 28 – 31 May 2026: Follow up-meeting at Dataharvest, Mechelen, Belgium
Please ensure you can make all these dates before applying.
What do former fellows say?
“The best networking and training opportunity I had so far”.
– Lyse Mauvais
“One of the best experiences in my career with a fantastic bunch of people from across Europe. (Yes, we’re still in touch. Yes, we meet up at conferences. Yes, we collaborate still.)”
– Marguerite Mayer
“Because of ECJP, I met 15 other fabulous reporters, many of whom I am still working with today, and a handful of sharp and generous mentors. I dove head-first into the world of collaborative investigative journalism, and have primarily worked on these types of projects for the past 1.5 years.”
– Polina Bachlakova
“I truly cannot recommend it enough. I met so many incredibly inspiring, kind, and dedicated journalists and learned more in a week than I could ever imagine. It’s like a journalism Masters on steroids.”
– Luisa Rollenhagen
If you’re interested in joining the programme, apply here by January 4 2026.