THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
The provision of venues for students’ practice, internships, and qualification improvement for teaching staff of the faculty of journalism under media companies-members of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), was the goal of the agreement on cooperation between the Faculty of Journalism of Zaporizhzhya National University (ZNU) and the regional organization of the NUJU. The document was signed at the Zaporizhzhia Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the NUJU on June 1.
This was not the first such document: a memorandum on cooperation between the institutions was signed in 2013. This year they decided to update it. The initiative to officially sign the agreement was a result primarily of the need to combine theory with practice not only for students of the faculty but also for teachers.
“Since 2012, we have cooperated with the university and done much for it; for example, we opened and worked with a school for young journalists. The memorandum that we signed with the former dean of the faculty proved to be very fruitful because 90% of all our children who studied entered the ZNU. After graduation, they continued to study abroad. We have a lot to be proud of. We hope our further cooperation will be very productive,” noted the head of the Zaporizhzhia JSC, Nataliya Kuzmenko.
“Teachers have to give theoretical and practical skills, so we join practicing journalists. This is the first agreement. The second one is for students, i.e., from the first to the fourth year, they will be provided with internships from the NUJU or from those mass media that cooperate with NUJU during the internship period,” commented a representative of the faculty/associate professor of the Department of Journalism, Olena Usmanova.
Journalist of the MTM TV channel, Olena Mashtyliar, considers the event very necessary because it is essential for journalists to stay in the profession.
“Many media outlets in our region have closed for martial law or other reasons. It is difficult for students to find a place to practice; this contract allows teachers and students to practice. The profession of a journalist requires constant training,” commented Olena.
Students also joined the discussion about signing the document.
“This will be a good opportunity for future young student journalists from our faculty. They will have a guarantee of practical experience and acquire new knowledge and skills at the JSC,” says Mariya Honcharenko, a second-year student of the Faculty of Journalism.
Called the Zaporizhzhia JSC by dialing 096 277 5352 (Nataliya Kuzmenko, Valentyna Manzhura, co-coordinators of the JSC). The Center’s address is 152 Sobornyi Avenue.
As earlier reported, the Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is an initiative of the NUJU implemented with the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO. The initiative is designated to help media representatives working in Ukraine during the war. The Centers operate in Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro and provide journalists with organizational, technical, legal, psychological, and other types of assistance.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding. It is the coordinator of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which aims to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, thus strengthening peace, democracy, and sustainable development worldwide. UNESCO is working closely with its partner organizations in Ukraine to provide support to journalists on the ground.
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this digest do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area or its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this digest and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit to the organization.
Anzhelika Zastavenko
Photo: Kristina Kulahina
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