OSCE lecture course supports education of future journalists in Turkmenistan
To support the modernization of journalism education in Turkmenistan, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online lecture course on digital journalism from 24 to 27 May 2022.
The four-day course brought together journalism students and lecturers from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Magtymguly Turkmen State University and International University for Humanities and Development of Turkmenistan.
An international expert from the United Kingdom explored the nature of digital information space in the 21st century and elaborated on the impact of social media on classical news values and emerging online news values. The students learnt about digital storytelling and the role of visualization in digital journalism.
Referring to the 2013 OSCE conference held in Vienna, "Internet 2013 - Shaping Policies to Advance Media Freedom", Rune Castberg, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat stressed the importance of the recommendations that were developed during this conference, which state that " online media create conditions for greater diversity and pluralism, and the Internet brings significant benefits, in particular promoting education, economy and human rights, including the freedom to seek, produce, receive and impart information”.
He also added that the OSCE Center in Ashgabat is committed to providing comprehensive support for the modernization of journalism education in Turkmenistan.
The course also introduced students to data journalism, infographic and mobile journalism. Future journalists discussed ethics in the digital space, defamation and the protection of private life and personal data. Practical exercises enabled them to learn new skills, such as writing digital profiles and online articles.
In addition to the course for students, the activity includes a session on methodological approaches in teaching modern digital journalism for teachers of journalism faculties.