The OSF-SA has established a American University Scholarships program to give the media an experienced journalist with the resources to pursue issues of topical interest. Until now, the alliance has enabled a number of journalists to conduct ground breaking research on various issues with the aim of enriching understanding of the community and encourage debate about these issues.
For 2011, the American University Scholarships Foundation experienced a call to journalists seeking innovative and unconventional approaches to fundamental challenges of an open society. Applications are invited from interested journalists and media practitioners with a deep understanding and a human rights approach to research and produce analytical pieces on:
Political party funding in South Africa;
Climate change in Africa;
Strengthen community participation in the traditional system of government.
To qualify, candidates must:
Have a minimum of three years of journalistic experience;
Having strong investigative journalism skills;
Show in-depth knowledge about the chosen topic;
Able to adhere to set deadlines.
American University Scholarships Successful candidates will be expected to:
Conduct thorough research on one of the topics mentioned above;
Research and produce a series of reports or any form of media products, including innovative public education project, which will provide in-depth analysis and insight into selected topics;
Provide evidence of their work published.
American University Scholarships Applications must include the following:
A motivation for the application, demonstrate innovative approaches to the topic selected and the angle to be explored;
A brief resume summarizes the experience of working with three referees contacted.
Examples of published work;
Letters of support from editors and commitment that these pieces were produced to be published / broadcast in a major media organizations.
Applications should be addressed to: Samantha Beukes, Open Society Foundation for South Africa. PO Box 143, Howard Place, 7450, Cape Town or email to: samantha(at)ct.osf.org.za.
Correspondence will be limited to short-listed candidates only.
For more about the Open Society Foundation for South Africa, refer to www.osf.org.za.