Global Media Assistance: Applied Research, Improved Practice in the 21 Century

MEDAS 21 is a post graduate program that deals with various aspects of international media development assistance in the 21st century. It was established in 2018 on the initiative of the Erich Brost Institute, Ruhr-University Bochum’s Institute for Media Studies and University Duisburg-Essen’s Institute for Communication Studies with the support of VolkswagenStiftung. 

The program currently involves seven doctoral researchers and one postdoc who work at the intersection of academic theory and practical application. Core research topics are: 

• UN efforts on media development
• Health journalism in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Women journalists in proximity radios
• Radio projects and peacebuilding
• Knowledge production in relation to postcolonial media systems
• Sustainability and professionalization in community radios
• Difference experiences in journalism training
• Relationships between partners in international media development

While conducting research projects in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa or the Indian subcontinent, the researchers entertain close relationships with media development practitioners from the following partner organizations: 

• African Media Initiative (AMI)
• Catholic Media Council (CAMECO)
• Deutsche Welle Akademie
• EIRENE
• Fondation Hirondelle
• Internews
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS)
• Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT)
• Panos South Asia
• Radio Netherlands Training Center (RNTC) 

This makes MEDAS 21 a post graduate program that actively seeks to contribute to solving problems of practical relevance.