AMMAN — ICFJ-ARIJ Data Journalism Diploma is a 4-month free training program (in Arabic) that brings together 15 of the brightest early and mid-career data journalists from all Arab countries to foster the development of data-driven investigative reporting. The diploma combines tailored trainings, coaching, mentoring, producing and networking opportunities, offering selected journalists a unique and exclusive opportunity to learn, exchange ideas and connect with their counterparts around the Arab world to become advocates of data journalism in their own Arab countries.

Trainees will receive editorial, logistical, technical and financial support to help them produce their personal data-driven investigation, and are to take part in two virtual live training sessions every week (between July and October 2020; on each Saturday and Wed from 19:00 – 21:00 Amman Time) in addition to weekly assignments and the opportunity of being coached and mentored to produce their data-driven investigation as well as participating in the Virtual ARIJ 13^th Annual Forum (ARIJ20).  

Why this training program?

ARIJ along with ICFJ Knight Fellowship believe data journalism has great potential to drive transparency and fuel greater accountability and good governance. We consider this to be an important prerequisite for people to make informed decisions and pursue an open social debate. Visualizing digital sources allows for different perception and new perspectives, making the technology a great modern asset to traditional investigative journalism. 

Funding

Data Journalism Diploma is run by ICFJ Knight Fellowship along with ARIJ.  

Key Dates 

The application has been closed on 1st July 2020

Commitment 

High commitment is needed. Each trainee will need to attend two live virtual trainings every week between July – Oct 2020, every Saturday and Wed 19:00 – 21:00 Amman Time, in addition to weekly assignments and being coached/mentored in their own investigation. If a trainee misses 20% of the sessions, he/she will not have the opportunity to continue, or get the certificate or be coached with the investigation. So, no absence for any session without purviews permission is allowed. 

Meet the Trainer

Main trainer is ICFJ Knight Fellow Amr Eleraqi, An Egyptian journalist and trainer, Eleraqi was the driving force behind the launch of Arab Data Journalists’ Network. In 2012, he founded InfoTimes, a website specializing in data journalism. Eleraqi serves as executive editor of InfoTimes, which has won multiple awards including the 2018 GEN award for best small newsroom.

He is the author of two books on data journalisms, including “Data Journalism Fundamentals,” which was published in 2016 and is the first book on the topic in Arabic. Eleraqi is also a journalism instructor at the American University in Cairo.

The course content will use Internews’ Jordan Data Journalism Training Manual by Eva Constantaras, which was developed in 2019-2020 as part of the Internews’ Data for Change program in Jordan and is now hosted as an open source resource by ARIJ through this link. Additional content was adapted from other Arab language data journalism training manuals developed by Ms. Constantaras for the World Bank’s Sudan Evidence Base and Data Literacy Capacity Development Program and Internews’ Iraq Open Iraq Initiative.