Interest Groups
Gender Interest Group
Team leaders: Prof. Margaret Jjuuko and Mrs. Christina Chan-Meetoo
Description: The Gender interest group is dedicated to promoting gender equality and inclusivity in journalism education and research.
We seek to bring together journalism educators, researchers, and practitioners to share knowledge, best practices, and innovative approaches to address gender disparities in the media industry. Our
overall goal is to enhance the representation of women and marginalized groups in the media, improve reporting on gender issues, and foster a more inclusive and equitable media landscape in Africa.
These will be attained through focussed gender-sensitive journalism education, research and specialised reporting.
Activities:
We intend to conduct the following activities:
1. Organize workshops, conferences, and webinars on gender and media
issues;
2. Conduct research, co-publish research papers, policy briefs, and other resources on gender and media in Africa;
3. Review journalism/communication curricula to identify gaps, good
practices/lessons; Develop and share teaching resources and case studies on gender-sensitive reporting, and,
4. Collaborate with other organizations and networks to promote gender equality in the media industry, among others.
Joining the group
Open to AJEN Members (journalism educators, researchers, and media
practitioners) interested in promoting gender equality and inclusivity in the media industry.
Prof. Margaret Jjuuko: margarert.jjuuko@gmail.com
Mrs. Christina Chan-Meetoo: chanssc@uom.ac.mu
Campus Media Interest Group
The Campus Media Interest Group is a specialised collaborative arm of the African Journalism Education Network (AJEN), dedicated to advancing research, practice, and innovation in student-run media across African higher education institutions. It functions as a continental platform uniting researchers, educators, journalism practitioners, and students to explore and strengthen campus media outlets such as newspapers, radio stations, and digital platforms that serve as hands-on training labs for emerging journalists while enriching campus life and broader public dialogue.
African campus media grapple with distinct hurdles, including fragile governance structures, funding shortages, and limited pedagogical integration, which are often overlooked in global scholarship. The group addresses this gap by amplifying African voices, fostering sustainable models, and bridging theory with real-world application to empower the next generation of media professionals amid resource constraints.
Through initiatives like co-producing special journal issues, it solicits diverse contributions via open calls for papers, case studies, and reflective essays from stakeholders continent-wide. It facilitates
knowledge-sharing via webinars, workshops, and networked collaborations, promoting innovative management strategies, ethical production, and technological adaptations tailored to local contexts.
By highlighting underrepresented perspectives, the group drives evidence-based reforms, ensuring campus media thrive as incubators of journalistic excellence and democratic discourse in Africa.
Dr Basil Hamusokwe: basilhamusokwe@yahoo.com
Curriculum & Materials Development Interest Group
This group is a dedicated space for African journalism educators to actively explore and critically evaluate the journalism curriculum and the materials that we use. Our core mission is to ensure that Journalism education remains relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of students, society,
and the workplace. Our purpose is to develop teaching materials that are not only high-quality but also specific and relevant to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by journalism educators in Africa. We are also committed to driving research on the processes of curriculum design and material development, sharing our findings, and building a collective body of knowledge that will strengthen journalism education throughout the continent.
We will consciously interrogate the fundamental principles of our field, including:
– What constitutes valid knowledge in journalism? How do we verify what we know and teach?
– What are the most effective teaching methods for training the next generation of journalists, and what materials do they need to become scholars and practitioners who contribute to the field and sector meaningfully?
– What are the ethical principles and values that should guide both journalism practice and education?
Dr Sisanda Nkoala: sisandankoala@gmail.com
Professional Development Interest Group
The group works on the professional development of journalism educators, particularly by broadening the relationships between industry and academic. The group is working to develop and encourage short exchanges in local newsrooms of between one and four weeks, depending on availability. The idea is expose academics to modern newsroom practices that can inform both teaching and research. Of particular interest are cross-country exchanges as members see the benefit of experience in other countries, and as it might be awkward to be in the same newsrooms as former students. Funding for visits is being sought.
In addition, the group is planning a serie of webinars to upskill Ajen members, covering topics like AI integration and use.
Prof Nancy Booker: nancy.booker@aku.edu
Mrs Pheladi Sethusa: pheladi.sethusa@wits.ac.za
Research Interest Group
Ajen’s research interest group aims to create opportunities and support for educators in their research efforts and on specific projects. Efforts are primarily focused on research areas relevant to and strengthening journalism education on the continent, such as monitoring and tracking changes in the job market that affect journalism graduates, the student experience, teaching innovation, industry connections and synergy for faculty and students, and many others.
However, work in the broader fields of media and communication is also of interest. The group will collaborate closely with the site, Afromedia.network, which provides a database of researchers on the continent. The goal is to promote networking and joint initiatives. The group will identify specific projects to pursue and prioritize. The first phase is to beef up the members of the group from the broader Ajen membership and develop a strategic plan of ideas and actions for implementation to achieve the group’s aims.
Prof Franz Krüger: Franz.Kruger@nla.no
Prof Modestus Fosu: fmodestus@gmail.com