Asia internships for AUT journalism students

Wednesday, 20 September 2006

Asia internships for AUT journalism students

Journalism students at AUT University will now be able to apply for internships in Jakarta and Beijing, an initiative organised by AUT’s School of Communications Studies and supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
Three annual internships are now available – two at the China Daily in Beijing and one at The Jakarta Post. The work placements are preferably for AUT journalism graduates or those about to graduate.

AUT's Associate Professor David Robie welcomed the new Asia NZ Foundation internships, saying this was a significant development for AUT journalism.

"We are introducing a new Asia-Pacific Journalism course next year and the new Jakarta and Beijing internships will significantly strengthen our international affairs training opportunities."

Each of the successful applicants will also qualify for an Asia:NZ scholarship worth $2250. The China Daily also offers a living allowance and accommodation under an existing arrangement with the AUT’s School of Communications Studies.

The new internships also add to Asia:NZ’s Massey University School of Journalism scholarships that currently supports internships for Massey journalism graduates at the Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia and the Shanghai Daily in China.

Asia:NZ media adviser Charles Mabbett says the AUT initiative will help address the need for more New Zealand journalists with Asia experience.

“As it says in our Preparing for a Future with Asia report, levels of general knowledge about Asia within newsrooms are low, and this is one way to try and address that, by developing a pool of up and coming journalists who have spent time working in Asian countries.”

More information can be found by visiting this link: www.aut.ac.nz/schools/communication_studies/scholarships.htm or by contacting Prof David Robie at david.robie@aut.ac.nz and Charles Mabbett at
cmabbett@asianz.org.nz.

ENDS