The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) is soliciting applications from Azerbaijani citizens for a Master’s Degree program in journalism and media management offered by the Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management. The coursework will be taught by instructors from the United States, Georgia and European Union member states. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State. The overall goalof the program is to strengthen the media in the South Caucasus.

Five or six Azerbaijani participants will be selected for the program, which will be offered over the course of four semesters from September 2022 to June 2024.

Students interested in journalism, media, communications, graphics, photo journalism, content development and other related fields are welcome to apply. The students will study in Tbilisi, Georgia from September 2022 until December 2023 and will work on their diploma portfolio in Azerbaijan in January-June 2024. Students will be expected to return to Georgia for the defense of a thesis/final project in July 2024. While studying at GIPA, students will have access to computers, audio and video equipment, the internet, and a journalism library. The program will produce multimedia stories for the student media web page and reports for Radio GIPA FM.

The program curriculum provides a hands-on, experiential approach to learning the latest techniques of fact-based, professional reporting and writing for print, online and broadcast media. Coursework also includes management techniques and key knowledge fields, such as economics and the judiciary.

Strong English language skills, as demonstrated at an oral interview, are required.

The U.S. Embassy in Baku provides tuition support and financial assistance for the duration of their studies in Georgia to students who demonstrate financial need.

The selection process includes an English-language interview with a joint Azerbaijani-American admissions committee in Baku.

 The deadline for applications is May 01, 2022.

Please contact: Mehdi Huseynguliyev, recruitment coordinator, at HuseynguliyevMM@state.gov for more information and sending your documents.

Please note that the subject line in your email should be: GIPA-2022   

List of documents to be presented for GIPA program:

1. Application Form

2. Reference Letters

3. Statement of Purpose

4. Copies of Diplomas*

5. Transcripts

6. Copy of ID Card or Passport

* Note: Recent graduates who have not yet received their diploma may still apply, and submit a diploma by August 15, 2022.

Please see the GIPA Master’s Degree Program in Journalism Application Form’s link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LbG4xgC2aNNrv1axgjy7O-nvF4N-Kb9h/view?usp=sharing

Of note, The Georgian Institute of Public Affairs was established in 1994 as a non-governmental, non- profit educational institution, raising a cadre of highly trained public servants and journalists to support democratic and market reforms in Caucasus.

The Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management (CSJMM) was established in 2001 to support the development of independent media in the Caucasus by means of educational and training programs in journalism, communication and media management. The school’s philosophy is that journalists -- well-grounded in skills to report fairly and accurately -- will raise the level of journalism where they practice and will serve the public by providing truthful information and upholding the highest ethical standards of the profession.

Since its opening in January 2002, CSJMM’s English-language, regional program graduated more than 200 students with master’s degrees in journalism and media management. In Azerbaijan, CSJMM has graduates, who hold leading positions in the professional media. Overall employment rate is 85%. The graduates today are well-established journalists committed to the principles of fairness, independence, honesty and accuracy in their work for newspapers, television and radio. The biggest employers of Azerbaijani graduates are Turan, APA, 1News and Report News agencies, CBC, VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijani and Russian Services and a number of other outlets and organization.