Science journalism education: A curriculum project for South Africa, Namibia and Uganda.

Abstract

This report provides details of a Study and information-gathering tour - through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs - of esteemed American universities and media institutions by three journalism educators from Africa. The purpose of the tour was to consult and network with media experts, academics and journalists in order to gain insight into and collect material which would serve to inform an African-oriented curriculum in Science Journalism. The three academics who undertook the tour are Dr. Pedro Diederichs, Head of the Journalism Department at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, Ms Emily Brown, Head of the Media Technology Deapartment at the Polythechnic of Namibia in Windhoek, Namibia, and Dr. George Lugulambi, Head of the Journalism Department at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Ms Janet Donaghy, Program Officer in the Voluntary Visitors’ Division in the U.S. Ms Sheila Malan, Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in South Africa, coordinated the Program. Mr. Ray Castillo, DiVice Chancellor of the American Cultural Centre in Windhoek provided logistical support, as well as the Head of the American Cultural Centre in Kampala, Uganda. Ms Joyce Meadows, English Language Officer from Washington D.C., served as the group’s Escort during the two-week Study Tour in the United States of America. The Program allowed for visits to universities and media institutions in New York, Denver/Boulder and Tampa/St Petersburg. Approximately three days were spent in each of the three States visited.