November 11-18, 2018
The Berlin Capital Program, operated by the German-American Fulbright Commission, invites up to 15 young American journalists and students of journalism to Germany to participate in a seminar on current developments in German media and politics. The program is conducted in English and is fully funded by the Fulbright Commission.
With the goal of better understanding transatlantic issues and promoting professional and academic networks between Germany and the U.S., this intensive program offers American journalists the opportunity to gain a deeper awareness of the political, economic and cultural environment in Germany/Europe, with a special focus on German media and its role in politics and society.
Past program participants have journeyed from the bowels of the Stasi archives, where they pondered the role of privacy in German society, to the glass dome of the Reichstag, where transparency in modern German government is represented in the very structure it inhabits. A day trip to Leipzig included a briefing by a Member of Parliament representing Saxony on the overall view from the eastern side of Germany as the country tries to find common ground on issues like immigration and its place in Europe. A guided walk through Berlin's Kreuzberg district considered urban planning and public policy issues, tracing Berlin's constant struggle to grow and attract business while maintaining its unique identity and strong sense of community. Highly interactive tours of Berlin’s iconic sites, intimate meetings with entrepreneurs and media personalities, hands-on encounters and frank conversations with Germans from all walks of life, an evening of politically-tinged avant-garde theater, panel discussions with renown international journalists, and brief if poignant exchanges with German colleagues ranging from a studio manager at a college radio station to editors at a global media powerhouse – all have previously been part of the Berlin Capital Program.
In discussions with media professionals, journalists will learn about the role of the media in the political decision-making process in Germany, and will gain further insight into the transformation of the German media landscape and how these changes affect journalists' role, responsibility and dialogue with the public. The program will also investigate the challenges and opportunities related to the continuing process of European integration and offer first-hand experiences in the German capital of Berlin, with its diverse culture and ever-changing course of history. Issues to be considered with experts may include the status of Brexit negotiations, the 100th anniversary of the First World War's formal end, ripples of the U.S. midterm elections felt on German and international shores, and the looming COP24 environmental summit set to take place in Poland in December.
The participants will depart from the U.S. on Saturday, November 10, 2018 in order to arrive in Berlin on Sunday, November 11.
The award benefits cover program costs, including round-trip transportation between the U.S. and Germany, hotel accommodation (single room, incl. breakfast), several meals, local transportation and health insurance coverage during the seminar.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be a U.S. young professional journalist, currently employed by U.S. media in the U.S., with fewer than 5 years of work experience in the field,
or a Master’s student in the field of journalism or communications at a U.S. university,
or a graduating senior in the field of journalism or communications at a U.S. university.
Applicants must
1. Application Form (please use Fulbright form)
Please download and save the Application Form under file name: “BCP2018_Lastname, Firstname.pdf” (using the most recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader). Fill out the application form electronically and save again. Send the completed application form as an e-mail attachment to: specialprograms@fulbright.de.
2. Print the completed application form and add your handwritten signature. In addition, please ask your professional supervisor/academic advisor to for a handwritten signature on the application form (page 2).
3. Please add the following documents to your printed application form, scan all files as one pdf-file and send it to specialprograms@fulbright.de:
Please note that two separate files from the applicant must reach us by July 2, 2018: the completed electronic application form (in order to process your application electronically) and the pdf-file which includes the scans of the signed application form plus all supporting documents. Please do not send us your application by postal mail. Please note that incomplete applications and illegible files cannot be considered.
4. Letter of Recommendation (please use Fulbright form)
The letter of recommendation should be written by a professional supervisor (if applicant is a young professional journalist) or a professor (if applicant is a student) and be sent separately to the Fulbright Commission as a pdf-scan bearing handwritten signature and, if possible, institutional stamp. The letter should be sent by email to specialprograms@fulbright.de.
Application Deadline: July 2, 2018.
Please note the German-American Fulbright Commission’s Data Protection Policy for applications.
