The European Journalism Training Association launched with the active participation of several of their members-Journalism Schools throughout Europe- an interesting project of fact checking this spring. We warmly invite you to have regularly a look at the work done by our junior colleagues. Some of the items treated so far: Dose the travelling circus of the EP really costs 200 mio Euro’s annually? Did Hungary spent 18mio Euro’s on a campaign against Dutch Green Left MEP Judith Sargentini? Is turnout of national elections throughout Europe between 70&80%?  EJTA is being coordinated by Nadia Vissers from Antwerp University College Artesis Plantijn. We are happy to announce that AEJ and EJTA are examining how to launch an effective partnership. More info about EU Factcheck here.

 Twenty journalism schools fact-check EU elections 

European project aims to foster fact-based public debate 

Twenty journalism schools in fifteen European countries will be fact-checking political claims in the media in the spring of 2019. Tackling misinformation during the EU election campaign is the main objective of the EUFACTCHECK project. With their work the students want to contribute to a more fact-based public debate. 

All participating Journalism schools are member of the European Journalism Training Association (EJTA), that groups about seventy journalism centres, school and universities from about thirty countries across Europe. With the project EJTA wants the journalism students to grow a deeper insight and interest in democratic processes by enhancing their media literacy and as such developing both critical understanding of the media and active participation in the media. In this way the quality of journalism and journalism education will be improved. 

From Finland to Italy, from Spain to Russia 

The fifteen participating countries in the project are: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. 

EUFACTCHECK cooperates and shares expertise with other fact-checking organisations such as IFCN and DigDeeper. The project will also work in collaboration with journalists across Europe via First Draft’s new CrossCheck International initiative. The project is supported by the Council of Europe and the Evens Foundation. 

EJTA groups about seventy journalism centres, schools and universities from about thirty countries. They work together to improve journalism education in Europe, enabling members to collaborate on exchanges and teaching and research projects, and meet regularly to exchange ideas and information. 

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