Photo credit: Alexandra Pope

Since 1983 IDRC has supported awards for international journalism: one based with the Gemini News Service in London, England, and one based with L’Agence Periscoop in Montpellier, France. In 2002, IDRC repatriated its journalism awards, attaching them to five Canadian institutions, namely, Carleton University, Concordia University, The University of Western Ontario, Université Laval, and University of British Columbia.

The competition is organized by the appropriate department in the university and grants for the IDRC Awards for International Development Journalism are made to the university, instead of to the individual applicant.

Awards are granted to full-time graduate students who are currently enrolled in, or are graduates from the preceding academic year of a Master of Arts in Journalism program, or Graduate Diploma in Journalism, and are based on good academic achievement.  These awards are open to Canadians and permanent residents of Canada only. The recipient of the award spends approximately 4-10 months in a developing country to enhance his/her knowledge of international development and international reporting issues.  The award of up to $20,000 covers living, research, equipment and travel expenses, while the awardee undertakes field research in the developing country.

For additional information, please visit the following Web sites of the five universities that grant these awards:

• Carleton University: http://www.carleton.ca/jmc/
• Concordia University: http://journalism.concordia.ca/
• The University of Western Ontario: http://www.fims.uwo.ca/journalism
• Université Laval: http://www.com.ulaval.ca
• University of British Columbia: http://www.journalism.ubc.ca/

Candidates must contact the universities directly.