Constantly innovating to suit practical requirements

Flexible and diverse training courses for journalists.

In the context of modern journalistic development, the public's reading, viewing, and access needs are changing, increasingly demanding higher standards for journalistic training. Faced with these challenges and significant questions regarding improving the quality of training courses, the Center for Journalism Professional Training (TTBDNVBC) has proactively implemented a series of innovative solutions to enhance the quality and effectiveness of training for each member group.

Journalism training programs are constantly evolving to meet practical requirements (Figure 1). — Journalist Hoang Ngoc Sy - Standing Vice Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial Journalists Association, spoke at the seminar "Training and professional development in journalism according to current needs".

In particular, always prioritizing the application of information technology in training and professional development to keep pace with digital transformation, in 2023, the Center continued to combine in-person and online teaching methods, with many contents keeping up with and integrating with the innovative trends of modern journalism. Whether in-person or online, the classes organized by the Center are meticulously prepared, from topic selection and content preparation to inviting lecturers and students, ensuring suitability for each class's theme.

In fact, it can be said that 2023 was a difficult year for the Center in disbursing state budget funds for training, requiring the Center to make great efforts to overcome difficulties, be flexible and proactive in organizing classes by maintaining classes in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (where the Center has existing facilities to save on expenses).

In addition, the Center continues to strengthen coordination with foreign organizations and local Journalists' Associations, businesses, and agencies under ministries and departments to maintain practical and effective training courses. As of the end of November 2023, the Center had organized 76 activities for nearly 2,800 members of Journalists' Associations nationwide.

By the end of 2023, the Center is expected to have organized 96 activities for nearly 4,000 members. Not only is the number of classes and participants maintained, but the quality of the content is also consistently prioritized, aiming for practicality and relevance to real-world needs. Therefore, the Center has innovated and improved the quality of this work by focusing on key areas to update knowledge, methods, and skills in a specialized and relevant way.

This includes organizing new training courses to keep pace with changing trends in global journalism, such as: in-depth courses on digital transformation; data journalism, application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalistic work; producing journalistic works on social media platforms; guiding members in multimedia journalism, converged newsrooms, digitization and data exploitation for journalists, podcast production, SEO skills for online newspapers; information exploitation in the digital age; producing high-quality journalistic works on Party building… In addition, the Center has also promoted international cooperation, which helps members access new knowledge and learning methods, and a wealth of new information.

Aiming to organize fee-based training courses.

Always striving to improve the quality of teaching and learning, the Center clearly recognizes the crucial role of lecturers and pedagogical skills in the training and development of lecturers. The lecture programs, prepared by lecturers, always prioritize practical knowledge, all carefully selected to build the training curriculum. Courses incorporate content on politics and journalistic ethics into the lectures to help journalists maintain professional ethics in their work.

In this regard, the Center proactively developed training schedules and content early on to make it easy for members and all levels of the Association to track and register for participation. It maintained coordination with local Journalists' Associations in planning, preparing, arranging, and organizing training and professional development. Particularly in 2023, the Center developed and implemented many high-quality training courses for instructors.

Specifically, two training courses were organized : "Trainer Skills Training" and " Developing Teaching Skills for Journalism Lecturers" for 19 journalists working at media agencies in Ho Chi Minh City. This aimed to strengthen and supplement the teaching staff – young, skilled journalists with a good understanding of technology, currently working at media agencies – to become lecturers for the Center.

Appreciating the contributions of the various levels of the Association and its journalist members to the Center's activities, in 2023, the unit organized a workshop on "Journalism Training and Professional Development According to Current Needs" . This workshop attracted the participation of 60 journalists, leaders of media agencies, and part-time lecturers of the Center. Through the workshop, the Center noted issues related to training and professional development programs that meet the trends of digital transformation.

Many delegates argued that to change old habits, it is necessary to train a workforce capable of proficiently using digital tools and fostering creativity… This has been a top priority for the Center's leadership as well as the leaders of local Journalists' Associations at all levels, setting a goal for the coming years.

Professional training in journalism is constantly evolving to meet practical requirements (Figure 2). — Journalist Nguyen Thi Hai Van - Director of the Center for Journalism Professional Training and lecturer - presented certificates to the trainees.

Sharing his thoughts on the professional training activities for journalists in the past period, journalist Hoang Ngoc Sy - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial Journalists Association, said: “The Center for Professional Training in Journalism is a unit that has done a very good job of organizing professional training courses for its members. The courses are always suitable for the operational situation of local media agencies. Over the past period, the Provincial Journalists Association has always closely coordinated with the Center, maintaining both online and in-person classes, from those conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic to those conducted in person. Before each course, both sides thoroughly discuss the topics and ensure they are appropriate for each target group in each media agency…”

Continuing to innovate content and enhance training in the coming period is one of the goals. Journalist Nguyen Thi Hai Van, Director of the Center for Professional Training in Journalism of the Vietnam Journalists Association, said that in 2024, the Center plans to open training courses for journalists working at media agencies in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, aiming to provide the Center with more high-quality instructors and expand its network of instructors across various types of journalism.

“In the coming years, the Center will focus on keeping the website's content engaging and updated with information about the courses to attract more visitors. Based on the equipment and teaching staff the Center has, we will also promote the organization of fee-based courses upon request from various levels of the Association, media agencies, organizations, and businesses in need of communication services, aiming to build sustainable development for the Center and gradually contribute to the Association's funding,” shared journalist Nguyen Thi Hai Van.

Le Tam

Source