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The JournalismAI Strategy Lab 2026 for African journalists and media professionals

by November 2, 2026

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7 Application Deadline: 29 November 2026 at 11:59 PM GMT.

Applications are now open for the. The JournalismAI Strategy Lab, previously the , is a no-cost, five-week online programme for journalists and media professionals across Africa who want to move beyond experimenting with AI tools and start making informed, deliberate decisions about how AI fits into their journalism and their newsroom.

The programme is designed by the JournalismAI team at the (LSE) and supported by .

Previous editions of the programme focused on Sub-Saharan Africa. This year, for the first time, the programme is open to journalists and media professionals from across the entire continent, from North Africa to Southern Africa, and everywhere in between.

Each edition brings together a cohort of up to 20 participants from across Africa, creating a focused space for peer learning, shared challenges, and practical work. The programme combines expert-led masterclasses with hands-on workshops and structured peer discussion, all grounded in the realities that participants bring from their own newsrooms.

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African newsrooms face questions about AI that are often missing from global conversations, shaped by the languages, resources, and realities of the continent. The Strategy Lab creates space to tackle these questions together, drawing on the experience of peers working in similar conditions across the continent.

Requirements

• Journalists and media professionals from newsrooms in AFRICA.

• Each edition of the Strategy Lab is open to journalists and media professionals working in newsrooms in the region served by that edition. Fluency in English is required. Each cohort is limited to 20 participants.

• The programme prioritises candidates who can take what they learn back to their organisation, whether as editors, senior journalists, product leads, or founders of small independent outlets.

• Applications are welcome from all career stages, roles, and newsroom sizes.

• No coding or technical background is required.

The Strategy Lab is NOT for:

• Freelancers; you must be employed by or formally affiliated with a news organisation
• Journalists who are not fluent in English
• Journalists based outside of Africa

How The Programme Works

The Lab runs for over five weeks. The programme includes two sessions per week. Participants are expected to dedicate 5 hours per week to the programme, across the 5 weeks:

• Live presentations on Tuesday (2 hours)
• Live workshops on Thursday (2 hours)
• Assignment to complete individually before the following meeting (~60 minutes)

The programme also includes an introductory week and a closing session, which take place on separate days across the five weeks.

The Five Modules

Each module is designed for participants who may be new to AI, or who have started experimenting but want to think more clearly about what they are doing and why. The learning is cumulative; each week adds a layer, and by the end, participants are equipped to view their own newsroom with fresh eyes and a clearer sense of next steps.

• Module 1 ➙ AI in Practice: Concepts & Applications [26 & 28 January]
• Module 2 ➙ Data, Tools & Workflow [2 & 4 February]
• Module 3 ➙ GenerativeAI for Journalism [9 & 11 February]
• Module 4 ➙ Risks, Ethics & Editorial Governance [16 & 17 February]
• Module 5 ➙ From Ideation to Implementation [23 February & 25 February]

Benefits

Participants leave the Strategy Lab with more than a certificate. By the end of the five weeks, you will have:

• A grounded understanding of AI in journalism – what it is, what it can do, and where its limits lie
• Hands-on experience evaluating and working with AI tools in a structured environment
• A concrete action plan or project proposal to take back to your newsroom
• A network of peers from your region and beyond, working through the same challenges

How to Apply

• Applications are submitted via this
• The application includes questions about your background, your newsroom, and the work you hope to undertake during the programme.
• This is a for the letter of intent; you are welcome to use it or adapt it.
• To submit your application, you will need to upload a letter of organisational commitment from your employer.

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