JournalismAI Strategy Lab 2026 for Africa – 2 novembre 2026

Contexte

Call for Applications The JournalismAI Strategy Lab 2026 for African journalists and media professionals. Applications are now open for the JournalismAI Strategy Lab. The JournalismAI Strategy Lab, previously the JournalismAI Academy, is a no-cost, five-week online programme for journalists and media professionals across Africa who want to move beyond experimenting with AI tools and start making informed, deliberate decisions about how AI fits into their journalism and their newsroom. The programme is designed by the JournalismAI team at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and supported by Google. Previous editions of the programme focused on Sub-Saharan Africa. This year, for the first time, the programme is open to journalists and media professionals from across the entire continent, from North Africa to Southern Africa, and everywhere in between. Each edition brings together a cohort of up to 20 participants from across Africa, creating a focused space for peer learning, shared challenges, and practical work. The programme combines expert-led masterclasses with hands-on workshops and structured peer discussion, all grounded in the realities that participants bring from their own newsrooms. African newsrooms face questions about AI that are often missing from global conversations, shaped by the languages, resources, and realities of the continent. The Strategy Lab creates space to tackle these questions together, drawing on the experience of peers working in similar conditions across the continent.

Profil recherché

• Journalists and media professionals from newsrooms in AFRICA.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Each cohort is limited to 20 participants.
• The programme prioritises candidates who can take what they learn back to their organisation, whether as editors, senior journalists, product leads, or founders of small independent outlets.
• Applications are welcome from all career stages, roles, and newsroom sizes.
• No coding or technical background is required.
• The Strategy Lab is NOT for: Freelancers (you must be employed by or formally affiliated with a news organisation), Journalists who are not fluent in English, Journalists based outside of Africa.

Missions et responsabilités

The Lab runs for over five weeks. The programme includes two sessions per week. Participants are expected to dedicate 5 hours per week to the programme, across the 5 weeks:

• Live presentations on Tuesday (2 hours)
• Live workshops on Thursday (2 hours)
• Assignment to complete individually before the following meeting (~60 minutes)

The programme also includes an introductory week and a closing session, which take place on separate days across the five weeks.

The Five Modules

The learning is cumulative; each week adds a layer, and by the end, participants are equipped to view their own newsroom with fresh eyes and a clearer sense of next steps.

• Module 1 ➙ AI in Practice: Concepts & Applications [26 & 28 January]
• Module 2 ➙ Data, Tools & Workflow [2 & 4 February]
• Module 3 ───────────────────────────── GenerativeAI for Journalism [9 & 11 February]
• Module 4 ➙ Risks, Ethics & Editorial Governance [16 & 17 February]
• Module 5 ➙ From Ideation to Implementation [23 February & 25 February]

Conditions et avantages

Participants leave the Strategy Lab with more than a certificate. By the end of the five weeks, you will have:

• A grounded understanding of AI in journalism – what it is, what it can do, and where its limits lie
• Hands-on experience evaluating and working with AI tools in a structured environment
• A concrete action plan or project proposal to take back to your newsroom
• A network of peers from your region and beyond, working through the same challenges

Dossier de candidature

• Answers to questions about your background, your newsroom, and the work you hope to undertake during the programme (via application form).
• A letter of intent (a template is available to use or adapt).
• A letter of organisational commitment from your employer.

Comment postuler

Applications are submitted via the official application form. To submit your application, you will need to upload a letter of organisational commitment from your employer. For more information, visit the Official Webpage of the JournalismAI Strategy Lab.

Date limite : 29 November 2026 at 11:59 PM GMT.