The Alfred Töpfer Stiftung, in partnership with Arena for Journalism in Europe, invites journalists from across Europe to apply for the sixth edition of the European Collaborative Journalism Programme (ECJP).
This unique fellowship fosters cross-border collaboration and equips participants with the tools and networks needed for impactful investigative reporting.
Designed for European junior and mid-career journalists, the ECJP welcomes freelancers and newsroom staff eager to deepen their collaborative skills or start working in this field.
The ECJP 2025 runs in two parts:
- Part 1: March 24–28, 2025, at the Conference Centre Gut Siggen on the Baltic Sea.
- Part 2: May 22–25, 2025, during the Dataharvest conference in Belgium.
During the five-day retreat in March, participants will engage in hands-on training, network-building, and collaborative work sessions. Participants will work in small groups to plan cross-border investigations, pitch their ideas, and receive feedback from experts and peers. Evenings will feature fireside talks, where informal discussions deepen learning and connections.
At Dataharvest, participants will take their investigations further by attending workshops, panels, and debates, strengthening network ties, and getting additional resources and inspiration to turn their collaborative ideas into stories.
Arena’s experienced team will guide participants throughout, providing practical advice and support for the fellows to carry out their important journalism projects all the way to publication.
Three experienced members of the Arena team will accompany the group of fellows, including Hazel Sheffield – herself an ECJP alumna and coordinator of the Money To Burn investigation that was initiated in Siggen and nominated for the European Press Prize, Zeynep Sentek, who leads the Arena Climate Network and Brigitte Alfter, director of Arena. Together with the Töpfer team, they guide the fellows along the process.
Also, fellows will be introduced to Arena’s digital collaboration environment the Collaborative Desk, Arena’s secure, open-source workspace for cross-border collaboration.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills and tackle today’s most pressing issues with a team of like-minded professionals.
The application deadline is January 1, 2025
Read more about the program and find out how to apply.