Swedish Injo Fellowships Call for Applicants 2008: Six Fellows, 375 000 USD

The Injo Program in Sweden will be sending six Swedish Injo Fellows to the International Innovation Journalism Program at Stanford 2008.

The call for applicants is open until Nov 22.

VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems is providing funding for six fellows, up to a total of 2.400.000 SEK (375.000 USD) for 2008. These funds are intended to cover costs of the Fellows' Swedish employers during their participation in the Stanford program, i.e. coverage of salary expenses, travel, living costs in the US etc. VINNOVA uses the same terms for coverage as goes for civil servants (no other reason for this than that it was the most accessible set of regulations to ensure fair coverage).

The fellowship program at Stanford 2008 is five to six months long, and has the following activities:

• InnovationBeat Newsroom. A four week training newsroom for all fellows, a learning-by-doing approach on reporting on the Silicon Valley. Coaches: G. Pascal Zachary, and John Markoff
• Working with hosting newsrooms. Fellows spend 4-5 month inside a leading US newsroom. Each fellow is assigned by the newsroom to cover innovation issues. (Summaries of stories published by fellows 2007 is available on http://www.innovationjournalism.org/doer )
  
• IJ-5, The Fifth Conference on Innovation Journalism, May 21-23. Each Fellow is in charge of one session at the conference, which they dedicate to an important aspect of innovation journalism of their choice. (The program of IJ-4 2007 is available here)
• Field trip to the US East Coast. Looking at how innovation policy is made in Washington DC, and how the markets for listed companies work in New York.

Here is a video by Tina Bjers, Reporter at Swedish TT and Injo Fellow 2007, telling about what she got out of the program this year:



The VINNOVA call text includes the following program statement in English (the rest of the call is in Swedish):

The innovation journalism program was started in 2003 to offer an opportunity for individual journalists, to increase their knowledge and develop skills and practices, and increase professional level in covering innovation processes.

It is designed as a fellowship program, where journalists practice at editorial offices in regions with efficient innovation systems, like Silicon Valley, Boston and New York. In addition the participants are required to participate in workshops, study visits and the annual innovation journalism conference at Stanford University, organized by Stanford and VINNOVA. The fellows are also part of a Swedish alumni community and offered to be part of an international
alumni community.

The target group is senior practicing journalists and editors.

The aim is

• To get experience in covering innovation systems, innovation processes and entrepreneurship. Innovation is a process, often long-term. Understanding of how to evaluate the progress of companies and societies by looking at the interaction between science, R&D, business development and public policy.
• Get a systems perspective. Understanding of who depends on who, and how? Innovations do not occur – they are created in cooperation with many. And you need support from many actors to create innovations.
• Understand and develop skills and practices in cross disciplinary work. You need to cover many difference aspects: science, law, finance, policy, even the social and ethical. A combination of business, technology, political and cultural journalism.

Here is a complete list of previous Injo Fellows. If you are interested in applying for an Injo fellowship, it is a very good idea to chat with any of these people, they will be able to give you important tips and advice:

• Jyrki Alkio, Journalist, Helsingin Sanomat, Finland, 2006
• Marie Alpman, Innovation Editor, Ny Teknik, Sweden, 2007
• Erik Amcoff, Journalist, Affärsvärlden,Sweden, 2006
• Patrick Baltatzis, Journalist, Entreprenör, Sweden, 2006
• Eva Barkeman, Science Editor, Aftonbladet, Sweden, 2006
• Tina Magnergård-Bjers, Reporter, TT, Sweden, 2007
• Johan Boström, News Desk Editor, Göteborgsposten, Sweden, 2005
• AndreasCervenka, News andFeature Editor, Affärsvärlden, Sweden, 2005
• Adam Edström, Editor-in-Chief, Elektroniktidningen, Sweden, 2004
• SaidaFazal, ResidentEditor, Business Recorder, Pakistan, 2007
• Birgitta Forsberg, Journalist,Veckans Affärer, Sweden, 2005
• Thomas Frostberg, Editor-in-Chief, Rapidus, Sweden, 2006
• AndersFrick, FreelanceWriter representing Ny Teknik, Sweden, 2007
• Marie Granmar, Editor-in-Chief, Process Nordic, Scandinavia, 2005
• Patric Hadenius, Editor, Forskning & Framsteg, Sweden, 2004
• Zamir Haider, Senior Reporter/Producer/Anchor, AAJ TV, Pakistan, 2007
• Ralph Hermansson, Journalist, Riksdag & Departement, Sweden, 2007
• Magnus Höij, Feature Editor, Computer Sweden, 2004
• Erika Ingvald, Journalist,Elektroniktidningen, Sweden, 2006
• Niklas Johansson, Journalist,Veckans Affärer, Sweden, 2005
• Johan Jörgensen, Journalist,Affärsvärlden, Sweden, 2004
• AndersLotsson,Journalist, Computer Sweden, 2005
• Marcus Lillkvist, Reporter,Västerbottens-Kuriren, Sweden, 2004
• Ilkka Luukkonen, Journalist,Maaseudun Tulevaisuus, Finland 2007
• Miriam Olsson, Journalist,Goteborgsposten, Sweden 2007
• JanSandred, FounderBiotechSweden, Sweden, 2004
• Amanda Termén, Journalist,Göteborgstidningen, Sweden, 2006