Internationalising science journalism education

Funded through the British Council India Going Global programme, we are working on a collaborative project between UWE Bristol, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, Nature India, Science Journalists Association of India and Association of British Science Writers. It is bringing together academia and industry to build science communication curricula that meet industry needs.

The team at IISER Pune are developing a cutting-edge, inclusive science communication course — a niche area with huge training gaps — for students and professionals alike. They are incorporating insights from experienced science journalists and academicians through workshops, roundtables, and online surveys.

This project is also enabling Dr Emma Weitkamp, Dr Andy Ridgway, Andrew Glester and Dr Amanda Webber from the Science Communication Unit, UWE Bristol, to strengthen the links and industry relevance of our teaching and training. This includes ensuring that our MSc Science Communication continues to develop in line with the needs of the science communication industry and to ensure that our programme offers a truly international curricula.

As part of our work to develop our science communication curricula, we explored the current challenges faced particularly by those seeking to embark on a career in science journalism. We produced a short comic (PDF) that explores the challenges, and ways that they can be overcome. We are grateful to the British Council for funding this collaborative project between UWE Bristol and IISER Pune, India.

Visit the project website