News Corp Australia’s Digital News Academy has won international recognition for its pioneering work in creating a new kind of journalism education less than a year since its launch.
The Digital News Academy is a skills-based training initiative News Corp Australia established with Google Australia and delivered by Melbourne Business School to equip working journalists with the digital skills needed to thrive in the modern era.
In Chicago last week, it was awarded top honours in the prestigious 2022 CLO Learning in Practice Awards for Excellence in Academic Partnerships.
Digital News Academy director Sonja Heydeman said it was an incredible honour for the Academy to be recognised in its first year, which now counts among its ranks journalists from more than 25 news publishers, including many small regional and community outlets.
Heydeman said: “This award highlights the Academy’s important work. Recognition on the international stage is important because the challenges facing Australian journalists are much the same across the world.”
As the learning award was announced the Academy was also preparing for two additional learning experiences unique to its program.
The academy’s calendar includes an annual study tour to the United States for 20 journalists and a live learning experience in Sydney for all participants on November 8.
“Both these events stay true to our mission of exposing working journalists to the best and newest techniques and technologies of storytelling,” Academy head Campbell Reid said.
“Our US tour group will hear from Google’s expert leads as well as going behind the scenes at a Fox Sports NFL broadcast, Disney Studios and The WSJ tech live conference at Laguna Beach.
“In Sydney our annual event will expose journalists to experts in story telling through the use of drones, still photography, video capture and editing.
“We are delighted with the momentum we are building by taking training for journalists to a purely practical level.”
The awards, which have run since 2003, recognise education leaders from around the world who demonstrate excellence in the design and delivery of employee development programs, confirming the Digital News Academy is at the vanguard of helping create a sustainable future for journalism in Australia.
“I am thrilled that the Digital News Academy’s innovation and partnership has been recognised with this prestigious award so early in its life,” Reid said.
“I especially want to thank all the journalists who have thrown in their lot with us to learn the new skills that will power them into their profession’s next chapter.”
Kate Beddoe, Google’s director, news partnerships APAC, said: “The Digital News Academy shows what’s possible when we partner with the news industry on mutual goals and is a fantastic example of innovation.
“This award is testament to the work of Melbourne Business School in developing this training program. We are proud to support this initiative, along with News Corp Australia, which will have a significant and positive impact on the Australian journalism industry.”
Speaking on behalf of Melbourne Business School which has delivered the Academy’s world-leading curriculum, Heydeman said she was delighted to be at the forefront of industry development, creating programs that translate to real impact.
“We love working with organisations striving for stronger, empowered industries,” she said.
See also: News Corp Australia, Google Australia team up to launch Digital Journalism Academy
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Top image: Ian Harper and Sonja Heydeman