Event
9th Academic Conference on Safety of Journalists

Location: Erasmushogeschool Brussel | Kanal Campus
The academic conference on safety of journalists has been a feature of the global celebration of World Press Freedom Day since 2016. The conference is organized in partnership with the UNESCO Chair on Media Freedom and Safety of Journalists at Sheffield University, UK. It features presentations by the academic community and researchers on media freedom and journalists' safety who showcase their works during this time.
Join us at the Conference!
Arrival and Registration
08:45 - 09:00
Opening Speeches
09:00 – 09:15
Opening Remarks by Dr. Jackie Harrison, Professor of Public Communication at University of Sheffield and UNESCO Chair on Media Freedom, Journalism Safety and the Issue of Impunity, Center for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) at the University of Sheffield
Opening Remarks by Dr. Vera Slavtcheva-Petkova, Associate Dean Global Engagement, University of Liverpool
Welcome by Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO
Panel 1: Newsrooms, AI and Human Rights in the Digital Environment
09:15 – 10:30
This panel will feature research presentations on practicing digital journalism and protecting human rights in newsrooms in the context of a rapidly changing digital environment and the proliferation of generative AI.
Emmanuel Vargas Penagos (PhD Researcher, Orebro University)
Maksuda Aziz (mobile journalist, New York University)
- Prof. Élmano Ricarte (Assistant Professor at IADE/Universidade Europeia and Head Researcher at UNIDCOM/IADE).
Prof. Milton Cappelletti (Assistant Professor at IADE/Universidade Europeia and Head Researcher at UNIDCOM/IADE)
Morning Break
10:30 – 10:45
Panel 2: Worlds of Journalism Study: Survey Results from 75 Countries
10:45 – 12:00
The Worlds of Journalism Study panel will present preliminary results from representative surveys conducted with more than 31,000 journalists in over 70 countries as part of the third wave of the study (2021-2024). The four presentations will explore topics such as editorial autonomy, freedom and influences around the world, journalism in Latin America, journalism in Central Asia and journalism in Africa.
Dr. Vera Slavtcheva-Petkova (Associate Dean Global Engagement, University of Liverpool), David Blanco Herrero (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands), Aitolkyn Ashimova (al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan), Gulmira Sultanbayeva (al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan), Berdak Baymbetov (SDU University, Kazakhstan), Terje Skjerdal (NLA University College, Norway)
Dr. Janara Nicoletti (The Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil)
Dr. Berdak Baymbetov, Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey)
Dr. Marenet Jordaan (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)
Midday Break
12:00 – 13:00
Panel 3: Towards a journalist risk barometer using AI to understand contextual predictors of violence
13:00 – 14:15
This panel will discuss various aspects of the collaborative research project involving CFOM at the University of Sheffield, Free Press Unlimited, and UNESCO, which aims to improve understanding of the contextual predictors of lethal and non-lethal violence towards journalists.
Dr. Jackie Harrison (Professor of Public Communication at University of Sheffield and UNESCO Chair)
Dr. Diana Maynard (Senior Research Fellow at University of Sheffield)
Dr. Jos Bartmann (Research coordinator, Free Press Unlimited)
Afternoon Break
14:15 – 14:30
Panel 4: Beyond Knowledge Exchange: Bridging the Divide between Journalism Education and Practice
14:30 – 15:45
This research presentation will explore the various teaching methods around the world, including North America, Sub Saharan African countries, Europe, Australia, and others.
Dr. Desiree Hill (Assistant Dean, University of Oklahoma)
Dr. Leire Iturregui (Assistant Professor, University of Basque Country)
Dr. Sajjad Ali (Assistant Professor, Karakoram International University)
Hanayo Oya (Assistant Professor, California State University) and Dr. Benjamin Tetteh (journalist and PhD researcher, Syracuse University)
Panel 5: Don't Shoot the Journalists: Migrating for Survival
15:45 – 17:00
The University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication presents the international project and related publication "Extra! Extra! Don't Kill the Messenger".
Dr. Peter Laufer (James Wallace Chair Professor of Journalism, University of Oregon)
Dr. Christopher Chávez (Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising, University of Oregon)
Youmna El Sayed (Freelance journalist Al Jazeera English Correspondent)
Closing Remarks
17:00 – 17:15
Sylvie Coudray, Director for Division for Freedom of Expression, Media Development and Media and Information Literacy, UNESCO