Bringing World News Home: Bringing World News Home: Internationalising Journalism Internationalising Journalism

Studies in SheffieldStudies in Sheffield

Dr Jairo Lugo-Ocando Department of Journalism Studies,University of Sheffield, UK

The story in a nutshellThe story in a nutshell

With triple professional accreditation and a very inflexible curriculum, the Department of Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield, has struggled chronically to foster and develop further its international teaching and learning links. However, in the past few years we have started to turn things around and become one of the departments in the Faculty of Social Science that it is putting internationalisation at the centre of teaching and learning. This presentation shares the experiences in dealing with the ongoing task of re-structuring the curriculum and changing cultures in the department so teaching and learning becomes global and reflects the increasing diversity. In so doing, the presentation examines the experiences of developing a departmental strategy for internationalisation, organising for the first time the international journalism week and promoting overall a more global approach to teaching and learning in the department.

Areas for InternationalisationAreas for Internationalisation

• Teaching and Learning• Research• Administrative practices

Teaching and LearningTeaching and Learning

• Syllabus• Curriculum• Delivery • Assessment• Course evaluation• Joint degrees (PG and UG)• Collaborative modules

ResearchResearch

• Research• Publications• Grants• Collaborative

Networks

Administrative practicesAdministrative practices

• Recruitment• Admin Benchmarking • Marketing• Technical support

What is availableWhat is available

StaffStaffoInternational ExchangesoUniversity / Faculty agreementsoErasmus Teaching ExchangeoErasmus TrainingoGrants

What is availableWhat is available

StudentsStudentsoInternational ExchangesoErasmus Study ExchangeoErasmus Work Experience oLeonardooShort Visits (Churchill Trusts, China Exchange, Daiwa Foundation, etc.)

Challenges for Journalism StudiesChallenges for Journalism Studies

1. Attitude and valuation of internationalisation.

2. Accreditation in UG and PG (NCTJ, BJCT and PTC).

3. Narrowness of the Curriculum

4. Industry links and the chimeric notion of employability

AdvantagesAdvantages

• Helps to confront the challenge of globalisation• Provides a much more sound dimension for the

syllabus• Amplifies possibilities for employability and

transferable skills

Action pointsAction points

• Developing a departmental/school strategy

• Support from the HoD, DoR and DoT&L• Support from the T&L Committee• Consultation with department’s staff• Implementation

Results so farResults so far

• From cero (0) of our students taking part in our exchanges programmes in 2010, we have today an average of six (6) to eight (8), with a target of 12 in 2014.

• From one (1) member of staff taking part in Erasmus Teaching exchange in 2009, we have now an average of six (6) to eight (8) members of staff taking part every year.

• Between 2010 and 2012 we received eight (8) visiting fellows in the department from all over the world (outside the IJW).

• We organised the first International Journalism Week using Erasmus resources: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/journalism/events/ijw2012. The next one will start on November 11, 2013.

LessonsLessons

Key pointsKey points• Support from the top is essential

• Appreciating the value of internationalisation by most members of staff is equally important

• Re-dimensioning the role of the international officer

• Having a international strategy adapted to the departments views and needs is essential

Internationalisation and beyondInternationalisation and beyond

• Internationalising curriculum (the cases of ‘Ethics’ and ‘Writing for the Media’)

• Internationalising delivery• Benchmarking assessment • Benchmarking in technical support and in the

teaching of technical/practice skills• Developing and implementing joint programmes

Final wordFinal word

• Why is internationalisation important?• Is internationalisation relevant to your department?• What things can internationalisation change in your

department?• Think of one thing that can’t be changed in your department,

but that if you could do it would improve greatly the whole learning experience for both staff and students.