[FoME] Call for Applications – Berlin Scholarship Program: Empowering Journalists in the Digital Field

[Christian Mihr | Reporter ohne Grenzen]

-  Call for Applications - 
Berlin Scholarship Program: Empowering Journalists in the Digital Field


(This invitation on RSF Germany’s website: http://ogy.de/evnx)

January 29, 2019 – Reporters Without Borders Germany is again calling for applications for its Berlin Scholarship Program: Empowering Journalists in the Digital Field. 

From May 1st, 2019 until December 31st, 2019, eight journalists from war zones and crisis areas will be invited to Berlin for a period of four months each. 

During their stay in Berlin, the scholars can enjoy a break and complete a comprehensive training program on digital security issues relevant to their work. 

The program is funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises.

Who can apply?

Professional journalists, bloggers and citizen journalists who:

•	are exposed to digital threats due to their work in their home regions.
•	want to learn and work extensively with digital security in order to improve their personal security. 
•	are interested in passing on the knowledge acquired during the scholarship program to colleagues in their home regions and, ideally, already have some experience in teaching (including in other areas).

What we offer:  

We cover the travel costs, take care of all visa-related matters, provide a pleasant apartment in Berlin for the duration of the scholarship, a monthly stipend of € 1000, free use of public transportation in Berlin, and also organize participation in a varied scholarship program taught by experts in the field of digital security. Furthermore, during their stay in Berlin, scholarship holders will be given insights into the activities of Reporters Without Borders, a globally-active journalist and human rights organization.

The main topics of the digital security training program will be:

•	Threat Model for Journalists: How do I identify my risks?
•	Legal Standards: What rights do journalists have against government surveillance?
•	Technical Background: How does the internet technically work (including IP, DNS and email communication)?
•	Encryption: How can you secure your communications (email, calls, messaging, etc.) against surveillance?
•	Anonymization: How can you hide yourself online?
•	Security on Social Media: How do you secure your accounts and what helps against trolling?
•	Commercial Surveillance: What do companies want to know about their clients and how can you protect yourself against it?

Requirements:

Applicants must have a very strong command of the English language, as the scholarship program will be conducted entirely in English.
A high level of proficiency in regards to digital security is not required; anyone who is used to working with a computer can apply. 
Applicants should also have adequate experience working as a journalist, be it as a professional journalist or a citizen journalist. 
In addition, applicants must have every intention of returning to their home region after four months of residence in Germany.

How to apply:

Please send a completed and signed application form, the completed questionnaire, your CV, and your identity documents in separate PDF documents as attachments (in total: 4 PDF’s) either via: Signal Messenger to +49163 6182705 or if you have an Protonmail-Account to rog.digitalfreedom at protonmail.com or if you know how to use PGP by encrypted email to digitalfreedom at reporter-ohne-grenzen.de, PGP-Key: A788DE66, PGP-Fingerprint: 1C05FB65EB880D0EFB8E9DC1F9D5A5F5A788DE66

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, February 19th 2019 at 23:59 (Central European Time).

Please use the application form (http://ogy.de/u00y) and the questionnaire (http://ogy.de/phah) provided by us to apply.


Contact:
Reporter ohne Grenzen e. V. / Reporters Without Borders Germany 
Berlin Scholarship Program: Empowering Journalists in the Digital Field
rog.digitalfreedom at protonmail.com
Signal: +491636182705
digitalfreedom at reporter-ohne-grenzen.de, PGP-Key: A788DE66, PGP-Fingerprint: 1C05FB65EB880D0EFB8E9DC1F9D5A5F5A788DE66