After the inaugural edition of the FISU Young Reporters’ Programme in 2011 at the 26th Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China and a successful 2nd edition at the 27th Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia, the International University Sports Federation (FISU) will host its FISU U-Media programme for the 3rd time at the 28th Summer Universiade in Gwangju, Korea. 

FISU launched this journalism education programme to provide young (sport) journalists with a unique training experience during FISU’s major multisport event, the Summer Universiade. Both previous editions of the FISU Young Reporters’ Programme were a genuine success.

For the 28th Summer Universiade in Gwangju, Korea (July 3rd to 14th, 2015), FISU once again will invite 12 aspiring young journalists from the five continents to the Games in Gwangju alongside the athletes where they will receive specialized media training. The Young Reporters’ Programme (YRP) aims to include 21 to 25-year-old students or recent graduates in journalism/communications from the five continents of Africa (2), America (4), Asia (2), Oceania (2) and Europe (2) right into the middle of the Games for 14 days, with full access to the competition venues and MPC. They will be joined by their peers from Korea.

FISU will nominate 12 (6 male & 6 female) Young Reporters on the basis of performance and promise. They could be university students engaged in journalism/communications studies or young graduates ready to embark on a full-time media career. FISU will cover the cost of travel from the candidate’s home to Gwangju and back, while the Gwangju OC will provide accommodation and meals.

Key elements

- Training will be offered in print, photography, and online and new media reporting of live events throughout the Universiade.

- The Young Reporters will be required to participate in all training sessions and will be given daily multiple reporting assignments - photographers will be required the produce written content just as written media journalists will be required to make snapshots or produce video/audio content.

- The programme will be in English.

- Participants, between the ages of 21 and 25 years, will be university students engaged in journalism or communications studies, or young graduates ready to embark on a full-time media career.

- Each successful candidate must sign an agreement setting out the conditions of course participation and the use of editorial material produced as part of the coursework.

- Essential technology, needed for the course (printers, internet, wifi, etc.), will be provided, but participants will be required to bring their own personal equipment (laptop computers, tablets, voice recorders, smart phones, digital photo and video cameras, etc.) as they seem fit to fulfil their assignments.

- FISU will meet the cost of economy return air tickets to Gwangju, Korea from the participant’s home city’s nearest airport. Accommodation and meals as well as transportation between venues will be provided by the Gwangju OC.

- The 14-day project begins with an introduction to FISU and the Universiade. The first assignment will be to cover the Opening Ceremony. All candidates must be able to produce at least three articles per day. These articles will focus on human interest topics with Universiade sport competition only as a ‘file rouge’ throughout the stories. In other words, no game reports!

- Coursework will include basic elements of event coverage, writing, interviewing, photos and video, and the Internet. Each Young Journalist must participate in all facets of the programme.

- There will be plenty of opportunities for assigned stories, photos and video to be published on various Games media and information systems. Their stories will not be exclusive and can be used by their local media, as well as the official newspaper of the Universiade.

- All Young Reporters will receive assessments of their work throughout the course by mentors and a Certificate of Participation on completion.

- Internship positions within the FISU Media Services for future Universiades may be offered for outstanding achievement.

- YRP participants will automatically become member of a continuous growing network of FISU Young Reporters and may receive freelance or internship assignments at future FISU events worldwide.

Course details

- All Young Reporters will undertake both general and specialized training in various aspects of sports reporting and the coverage of major events such as the Universiade. The course will look at what makes a good human interest/sport story, how to tell it informatively and entertainingly, when to look for more background detail and why accuracy and fairness still remain the cornerstone of reporting.

- According to their specific interests, participants will specialize in areas of media such as print reporting (newspaper, magazine and agency), news and sports photography and Internet/new media. 

- Stories, photographs, audio and video packages will be published within the FISU and Gwangju Universiade Internet sites and will be freely available, without rights, to media organizations worldwide. There will also be the opportunity for stories to be used by the participant's FISU Member Association and media organizations for publication in their home countries and regions.

- Training and course work will be undertaken in English only. Translation and interpretation will NOT be available.

Selection criteria

- Candidates will be between the ages of 21 and 25 undertaking full or part time studies towards a career in communications, journalism or other areas of news media. Recent university graduates working as interns or in similar training roles in established news organizations may also be considered. They will be outstandingly proficient in writing and presenting news reports in English.

- Candidates will be judged on their academic records, the recommendations of teaching staff or managers and should, above all, show real potential to succeed at their chosen media career.

- Evidence of excellence in coursework or in the media workplace must be established and provided with the nomination. Strong references will be required from their university or an employer (internship). Evidence of published work will be an advantage.

- Candidates must be able to travel on the required dates and be available to partake, full time, in the complete programme over the duration of the Universiade.

- Candidates must be willing to sign an agreement form setting out the conditions of their participation in the FISU Young Reporters’ Programme, which will include copyright free usage of their course content.

- Candidates must have a valid passport for international travel. Upon selection they will receive the necessary documents from the Gwangju OC for their visa if needed.

- The final decision on the suitability of nominated candidates remains with FISU.

- Fluency in French, Spanish and/or Russian (in addition to English) will be considered an asset.

- Experience in high performance sport (as a competitor, official, coach, team manager etc.) will also be considered an asset.

Individuals interested in applying are asked to submit in English:

- Current and detailed CV with date of birth and photo accompanied by covering letter;

- Current address, E-mail address and Skype address;

- Two letters of reference from academic or professional contacts;

- An A4 page text (300 to 500 words) that could serve as an intro page for a book entitled: ‘Major Sporting Events: Pitfalls for Young Reporters?’;

Applications will be accepted until October 15th, 2014. Applications reaching FISU after the deadline or incomplete applications will NOT be taken into consideration. All applications should be sent to media@fisu.net in pdf format.

An intake interview might be conducted via Skype for the final selection round to assess the English proficiency of the candidates. Applications will be reviewed by the FISU Media and Communication Committee, chaired by Verena Burk, FISU Executive Committee Member.

More information:
- Call for Application
- www.fisu.net