FHWien der WKW

International School of Multimedia Journalism - intercultural best practice

The ISMJ brings together students from Denmark, Georgia, Austria and Ukraine. The participants produce reports in tandem learning, supported by experienced editors.

Twenty young journalists from Denmark, Georgia, Austria and Ukraine took part in the ISMJ 2025 at FHWien der WKW in the anniversary year.

Objectives

The International School of Multimedia Journalism (ISMJ) is an intercultural course that brings together journalism students from Denmark, Georgia, Austria and Ukraine. It was founded after the annexation of Crimea and the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2014. The program aims to promote international cooperation and mutual understanding by training young journalists in multimedia journalism while covering various current affairs.

Background

For 10 years, students from different European countries have been meeting in Vienna and Ukraine to exchange ideas and learn from each other. What started as an experiment has become a model for international exchange: a best-practice example of sharing knowledge and ideas – and the beginning of many friendships. The International School of Multimedia Journalism (ISMJ) is held throughout two project weeks, one week each in Vienna, Austria, and Lviv, Ukraine. The participants develop journalistic multimedia projects with different thematic focuses in tandem learning and with the support of experienced editors. In addition, the participants are offered talks, input lectures and discussion rounds with experts. During both project weeks the participants work in the same groups, while taking country-specific characteristics into account, learning from each other and refining their own journalistic abilities.

(Implemented) Activities

The participants create a complete multimedia report within a week. They work in small groups to research topics, create storyboards, conduct interviews and write texts. The focus is on acquiring journalistic skills: working with the latest digital tools, developing basic journalistic skills such as researching or conducting interviews and creating multimedia reports. At the end of the project week, the work produced will be presented in a final presentation.

Results

In addition to the acquisition of skills, the intercultural exchange of experiences is a particular concern. During the group work, the participants have to learn how to deal with differences in journalistic work and how to overcome linguistic and cultural hurdles. Participants not only develop their skills in multimedia journalism, but also gain intercultural experience and build international networks. These experiences broaden the young journalists' horizons and offer new perspectives on their own role in journalism.

Lessons learned

The International School of Multimedia Journalism (ISMJ) began in August 2015 with separate topics for the two project weeks. From the second round onwards, however, the partners decided on a common theme for didactic reasons. Starting in the third year, they adjusted the timing of the project weeks to better align with the academic calendars of the participating universities, scheduling them for February (Vienna) and July (Lviv). The next change followed in 2020: the selection of the overarching theme was made more precise to enable more focused storytelling. While the first project week in February could still take place, the second had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a regular implementation in 2021 was also not possible. Instead, the ISMJ was held as a one-day online workshop intended to prepare participants for 2022. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 once again prevented a regular implementation. Nevertheless, the partners made every effort to continue the ISMJ. As a result, an extended ISMJ was held over two consecutive weeks in July in Vienna. The personal commitment of all those involved was crucial to this effort and remained so in the following years. As a return to Ukraine was still not possible, alternative locations were sought. Thus, the ISMJ was held in Wrocław, Poland, in 2023 and moved to Warsaw in 2024 for the second project week, following an invitation from the Austrian Cultural Forum. The loss of a university venue available free of charge initially posed a challenge. However, thanks to local partners familiar with the project and its requirements, the quality of implementation could be maintained. This experience demonstrated how important flexibility and a resilient network are for international cooperation – especially in times of crisis. In 2025, the ISMJ will again be organised with one week in February in Vienna and a second week in Warsaw, until a return to Ukraine becomes possible.

Several dinners throughout the week provide a relaxed atmosphere for informal dialogue and networking, to get to know each other and share experiences and perspectives.

Logo of the International School of Multimedia Journalism (ISMJ)

As a balance to the intensive group work, the participants also had the opportunity to get to know the city of Vienna and its culture.

Further links