Perspektivy is a joint initiative by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Fritt Ord Foundation. Perspektivy is a professional development programme for journalists and editors from Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The new digital era of media, and the globalisation of economic and political processes have brought new challenges to journalism. In particular, they have highlighted the need for journalists to develop international professional networks in order to understand regional characteristics and better cover transnational stories.

To reflect the needs of journalists Perspektivy is opening a scheme that aims to connect journalists in ‘cross-border’ collaboration. Journalists will be offered distance mentoring and seminars to help them to produce insightful stories. Perspektivy will cover participants’ costs for research trips as part of the project.

This is an opportunity for journalists in the early and mid stages of their career looking for the chance to develop their skills in international reporting and enhance their professional network abroad.

Working in teams, journalists can produce joint or individual work. These stories can be on any topic, as long as they draw on examples from outside of their home country. For example, refugee and migrant crises, climate changes, food production and its export/import, media, or civil society. Other ideas are welcome.

Journalists may apply as part of a team, or individually, and allow Perspektivy mentors to match them up with another journalist. However, all journalists must apply with a well thought through story idea and list of probable costs.

Successful candidates will receive professional mentoring, assistance for research trips arrangements and reimbursement of costs for those trips.

Travel costs, accommodation and per diem for both programme launch and closing 2-days seminars will also be covered by the programme.

This programme will involve the following activities:

• 1-2 October 2016. A two day workshop in Moscow, where teams can meet up with Perspektivy mentors to discuss ideas, work on story angles and plan a road-map forward.
• 3 October 2016 – 3 December 2016. A mentoring phase, where the participants return to their home destinations and continue work remotely with experienced mentors and senior journalists as they work on producing their stories.
• Each team can undertake short-term travel or research trip to collect information for their cross-border stor. Costs of this research trip will be reimbursed by the programme.
• 3-4 December 2016. A two day review session where the teams meet again to finalise their pieces and discuss them with mentors and journalists on the scheme.
• 20 December 2016 approximate date of publishing stories.

Although production of stories is the ultimate outcome, the responsibility for the publication or dissemination of them rests with the journalists and their professional editors. Perspektivy does not exercise editorial control.

Eligibility criteria:

• Journalists must apply with a story idea that transcends a national border.
• This scheme is open to journalists producing stories for Russian-language media and professionally based in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Baltic and the Caucasus.
• Applicants must be professional journalists at the early to mid point of their, career with a minimum of three years work experience.
• The working language of the programme is Russian.

Applications are now open. You are welcome to apply for the programme until 10 September 2016 by filling out the application form. You will be asked to attached examples of your work and letter of editorial support. Please note that the size of any uploaded files must not exceed 5 MB.

Click here to begin the application >

Results will be announced on 20 September 2016 by 19:00 Moscow time using the e-mails you provide in your application form.

Articles and stories resulting from the 2015 seasons >

Feedback from participants and results of season 2016 >