By Enock Sithole
The global community of journalism educators has elected a new leader to steer the World Journalism Education Council (WJEC) into a new era of collaboration and academic renewal. Professor Pascal Guénée (pictured) of the Institut Pratique du Journalisme, Paris-Dauphine University, was elected Chairperson of the WJEC Steering Committee for the 2025–2028 term at the recent World Journalism Education Congress held in San Francisco, United States.
The outgoing chair, Professor Nico Drock from Belgium, handed over leadership after a period marked by the challenges of rebuilding global academic exchange following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new chair’s election represents a fresh commitment to uniting journalism educators across continents and strengthening cooperation among national and regional journalism education associations.
One of the most significant outcomes of the San Francisco meeting was the announcement that Berlin, Germany, will host the next World Journalism Education Congress in July 2028. Themed “Journalism Education in Times of Geopolitical Change,” the event will address how shifting political, economic, and social conditions worldwide are reshaping the training of journalists.
“This is a very important topic wherever we are in the world,” the newly elected chair said in an interview with Ajenda. “It will be an opportunity for all journalism education associations to meet and reflect on how education can adapt to global instability and media transformation.”
The choice of Berlin as the next venue, he added, reflects the Council’s desire to ensure accessibility and global participation after logistical and political challenges limited attendance in San Francisco. “We hope Berlin will be a meeting place where all journalism educators feel they can contribute,” he said.
Strengthening global collaboration
The WJEC operates both as a Congress — a triennial gathering of journalism educators — and as a Council, which coordinates between these meetings. The Council itself comprises journalism education associations from across the world, rather than individual members.
“WJEC is a hub,” the chair explained. “Individual journalism educators are not direct members, but through their national or regional associations, they are all connected to us. We exist to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between these groups.”
The newly elected steering committee, which includes representatives from various continents, plans to meet monthly during its first year to strengthen ties between member organisations. In 2026, the Council will encourage cross-regional exchanges, for instance, fostering collaboration between African and European journalism associations.
The San Francisco Congress hosted 11 “syndicates”, which are working groups that explored specialised themes in journalism education and research. Topics included diversity in journalism classrooms, teaching trauma, community-university collaboration, media trust, and global perspectives on crises.
“These syndicates bring together colleagues with shared interests in teaching and research,” the chair said. “They return from the Congress with recommendations that reflect the state of the art in journalism education globally.”
The outcomes of these syndicates will soon be shared publicly to guide institutions and educators in updating curricula and teaching methods.
A milestone for academic freedom
The new WJEC leadership also plans to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Paris Declaration on Freedom of Journalism Education, a landmark document recognized by UNESCO. The declaration advocates for the autonomy and protection of journalism schools, particularly in countries where educators face political and institutional pressures.
“This declaration is essential for journalism educators around the world,” the chair said. “It helps them defend their academic independence and protect their schools in difficult contexts.”
The upcoming anniversary will serve as an occasion for reflection on how academic freedom and press freedom intersect, and how both are essential to democratic societies.
For journalism educators, the new WJEC term marks both continuity and renewal. As the world grapples with disinformation, polarisation and rapid technological change, journalism education is under increasing pressure to produce professionals who can uphold truth and accountability.
The World Journalism Education Council’s next steps include implementing a three-year plan for global collaboration, sharing the outputs of the San Francisco syndicates, and preparing for the 2028 Berlin Congress, which is expected to be one of the most significant gatherings in journalism education history.
“The future of journalism education depends on our ability to work together,” Prof Guénée argued, before concluding by saying : “Our mission is to connect the world’s educators so that journalism remains a cornerstone of democracy.”
The new Steering Committee is composed of:
Pascal Guenee: Chairperson
Elanie Steyn: Vice-Chairperson
Africa: Ralph Akinfeleye, Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Nigeria
North America: Heather Birks, Executive Director Broadcast Education Association (BEA), USA
South America: Fernando Oliviera Paulino, Professor University of Brasilia (UnB), Brazil
Europe: Maarit Jaakkola, Associate Professor, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Asia: Ramon Tuazon, Secretary-General Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Phillipines
Oceania: Alexandra Wake, Professor of Journalism, and Program Manager, Graduate Diploma in Journalism at RMIT University, and President of JERAA, Australia
Ex-officio members:
Nico Drok, Immediate past Chair
Amanda Caldwell, Organiser latest WJEC Congress