The Fully Funded Reporters Without Borders Fellowship in Germany is open to all internationals. It is a unique opportunity for reporters worldwide. It can develop solutions to tackle the increasing threats related to cyber security. It allows journalists from war zones and crisis areas to take a break from their daily lives and spend time in Berlin. The Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Public Enterprises funds the Berlin Scholarship Program 2024. Therefore, if you are a journalist from a war zone or crisis area, you should apply for this fully funded Berlin Scholarship Program in Germany.

It is a six-month program for reporters. All reporters selected in this Reporters Without Borders program will have to complete a training program in digital security while living in Berlin.  It aims to provide fellow participants with practical skills and knowledge to protect themselves against digital threats, such as surveillance, hindrance, or hacker attacks in their journalistic activities. During their Berlin exchange program, journalists will learn basic skills from experts to help them grow professionally. They will also work with fellow reporters from different parts of the world. 

Furthermore, in the second phase of this program, the participants will prepare their training concept with the support of the trainer team. Hence, through this Reporters Without Borders Traineeship program, the reporters can pass on their newly learned knowledge to their fellow reporters or colleagues in their home countries as trainers. This is how the journalists who will not be a part of this Berlin fellowship program can also benefit from the skills, knowledge, techniques, and digital security skills taught in the Reporters Without Borders program. In the Reporters Without Borders Berlin Scholarship Program 2024, there are six scholarships for journalists from war zones and crisis areas for six months.

The benefits of the Fully Funded Reporters Without Borders Fellowship in Germany are:

1. Each participant will get a monthly stipend of 1000€.

2. Travel and visa processing costs will also be taken care of.

3. During the fellowship program, the participants will also get an apartment in Berlin.

4. The program will also pay for the health insurance.

5. Similarly, participants will also get free public transportation in Berlin.

6. Every fellow gets to participate in an extensive training program related to digital security with experienced mentors and trainers for several months.

7. Furthermore, during their stay in Berlin, participants will be given insights into the Reporters Without Borders Germany fellowship activities.

8. An opportunity to visit Europe for free.

The eligibility criteria for the Fully Funded Reporters Without Borders Fellowship in Germany are stated below:

1. Professional journalists, media professionals, bloggers, and journalists from different war zones and crisis areas can apply for the RSF Germany fellowships 2024.

2. Journalists are exposed to any digital threats in their home countries.

3. Applicants should have experienced any violence, such as doxing or impersonation.

4. Journalists are eager to learn about digital security to improve their security and the safety of their sources.

5. Moreover, they are interested in passing the skills and knowledge acquired during the RSF Germany fellowship program to their colleagues in their home country, and they should have some experience in teaching or other ways of knowledge transfer.

6. They must be able and willing to fully participate in the Reporters without Borders Germany fellowship program. Applicants should be available for all activities of the Berlin fellowship program, including the comprehensive training for digital security.

7. Additionally, in the selection process, consideration will be given to applicants who work as investigative journalists on topics such as corruption, labor rights, climate crisis, or migration.

8. The applicants must show their willingness to return to their home countries after the RFS fellowship in Germany.

9. The applicants must have a strong command of English.

10. The applicants must have adequate journalistic experience.

Topics:

Topics of the fellowship training program for digital self-defense:

1. Holistic security basics for journalists, bloggers, media professionals, and citizen journalists at risk

2. Operational security, including risk assessments and security planning

3. Secure online communication concepts, technology, and tools, including secure online conferencing for interviews

4. Online identity management for investigative journalists, including technical background and practical use of anonymization tools

5. Password and account security and data protection on social media and other online accounts for media work

6. Website security for media websites under attack

7. Device security for computers and mobile phones of journalists at risk

8. Secure online and offline data storage, including encryption for media files.

9. Digital violence (online gender-based violence, doxing, impersonation, trolling)

10. Online information verification and Open Source Intelligence

Reporters Without Borders Fellowship Requirements:

1. Completed and signed application form

2. Completed questionnaire

3. CV

4. ID or passport

Note: Applicants must submit all four documents in four separate PDFs.