The European Journalism Training Association (EJTA) was established in Brussels in 1990. It groups about 70 journalism centers, schools and universities from about 30 countries across Europe.
They work together to improve journalism education in Europe, enabling members to collaborate on exchanges and teaching and research projects, and meet regularly to exchange ideas and information.
Membership of the EJTA is institutional and not individual. The Association is a non-profit organisation and legal body under Dutch Law.
The most important aim of the Association is to stimulate European co-operation in journalism education and mid-career training between non-profit training centers, and to develop a professional approach towards journalism training.
The Association:
• Organizes conferences and seminars to encourage discussion about the important questions of the journalistic profession and its training problems,
• stimulates long and medium term exchanges of students and lecturers,
• organises research at a European level on important issues in journalism training,
• represents its members and defends their interests in contacts with institutional partners, such as the European Commission, UNESCO, and associations of journalists and editors,
• arranges common practical exercises and common international programmes and projects.
The association’s income derives from membership fees. To finance the different activities, the Board may draw on various European institutions such as the European Commission, Council of Europe and on other programmes such as Erasmus+.
The Association is always eager to stimulate the exchange of opinions and experience, and to promote debate and research. With financial support from the European Commission the EJTA was able to initiate and supervise the following pieces of research:
• 1994: Rights and obligations of journalists in Europe
• 1995: New technologies in European journalism training
• 1997: Curriculum development in European journalism
• 1998: Local and Regional Journalism
• 2006: The Tartu Declaration
• 2008-9 Competences project
• 2018/2019: “Journalistic Roles, Values and Qualifications in the 21st Century (2018/2019)”
EJTA focuses on the Bologna Declaration and its implementation in journalism training.