OSCE-supported journalism students prove well prepared for the field

“Without a scholarship from the OSCE Mission to Moldova I would not have been able to study and live in Chisinau,” says Olesya Prokipyuk, a former student at the Chisinau School of Advanced Journalism.

Prokipyuk now works as a correspondent for a television station in Moldova. From the outset of her studies she intended to work as a TV journalist, having already gained some experience. “My level of professionalism increased considerably at the School of Advanced Journalism, and even now at work I continue to improve,” she says.

The Chisinau School of Advanced Journalism was established in 2006 by the Independent Journalism Center in Moldova, a non-governmental institution which promotes the development of independent media serving the public interest. Every year twenty students are trained for ten months to become professional journalists.

“What makes our school different from journalism studies at the university is a considerable amount of hands-on practice and intensive tutoring by well-known journalists from Moldova and professionals from abroad,” said Corina Cepoi, the School’s Director.

As part of the Mission’s efforts to support an independent and professional Moldovan media, the OSCE Mission to Moldova provides two scholarships a year for students from Gagauzia and Transdniestria. The scholarships cover tuition fees and living expenses.

“The Chisinau School of Advanced Journalism teaches students the importance for media of balanced reporting, investigative journalism, ethics and management. These are necessary components of a sustainable and independent media in Moldova, as everywhere,” said Ambassador Philip Remler, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova.

The course is followed by a four week internship. Elena Spinachi, who benefitted from the OSCE scholarship in the academic year 2010/2011, recently carried out her internship at a local TV station as a news reporter. Her supervisor Valeriu Mitu, manager of the regional TV network, is very happy with the level of teaching at the School:

“In only ten months students of the Advanced Journalism School gain good practical skills so that we as editors can count on them from the very beginning,” said Mitu.

Elena Spinachi is staying at the TV station over the summer to work on a programme focusing on human rights, but she has plans for the future:

“Moldovan media is generally too focused on tragic or shocking events. My passion is for stories about young Moldovans who manage to accomplish something in our own country. After this year I want to make my own documentaries about successful local initiatives,” she says.

For Spinachi the choice was either to go for a Master’s degree or to go to the Chisinau School of Advanced Journalism. Over the course of one year she and her fellow students covered all genres:  radio, TV, print, online and photo journalism.

“Now I have a different perspective on news programmes. I have learned more than I expected and do not regret my choice,” she says.

Written by Anna Backlund