What are the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence for journalism, democracy and society? This question was at the heart of the International School of Multimedia Journalism (ISMJ) 2025, which celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. From February 10 to 14, twenty students from Austria, Denmark, Georgia and Ukraine met in Vienna to produce multimedia reports.
From the beginning to today: a success story
The ISMJ was founded in 2014 at a time of political upheaval in Ukraine. The aim was to strengthen international cooperation in journalism and to offer young journalists a platform for intercultural exchange. After initial linguistic and methodological challenges, the cooperation between universities in Austria, Denmark, Georgia and Ukraine developed into a successful model. Today, the ISMJ is an established programe that not only teaches journalistic skills but also promotes international and intercultural dialogue.
An anniversary year with a highly topical theme
On the occasion of its tenth anniversary, the ISMJ focused on the topic “AI Applied – Impact on Society, Democracy & Culture”. Working in intercultural teams, participants produced multimedia reports that critically analysed the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence. As part of ISMJ 2025, four in-depth multimedia reports were produced, which were presented in a final presentation.
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Artificial intelligence has become an extraordinary tool for the rapid creation of art and images. But it has also sparked a debate about ethics, property rights and morality in the industry. The question is: can you still call yourself an artist if you use prompts and code instead of pen and paper? |
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Breast cancer remains a major health challenge for women in Europe. This article shows how AI is already being used in screening and diagnosis, and looks at the potential and challenges of AI in the fight against breast cancer. |
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How do you prepare your students for a technology you don’t fully understand yourself? How should a university respond to artificial intelligence? And most importantly, what impact will AI have on journalism education—and ultimately on journalism itself? |
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Artificial intelligence is on the rise, including in art. How is the art world reacting to it? Are artists in favour of AI or do they reject it? And does this development devalue art? |
Intercultural exchange and hands-on training
A central component of the ISMJ is the intercultural exchange between the participants. Students from different countries and cultures learn from each other and develop their intercultural skills. At the same time, the focus is on teaching practical skills: Research, interviewing, videography and digital storytelling are integral parts of the programme. Over the course of a week, the groups had to research topics, create storyboards, conduct interviews and write copy.
Sascha Mahdavi, an expert in the use of digital tools and a long-standing lecturer at FHWien der WKW, gave the participants a practical insight into the use of AI in journalism as part of a masterclass. The students learned about different tools and workflows for creating journalistic content using AI and integrating it into their own work.
As a balance to the intensive group work, the participants also had the opportunity to get to know the city of Vienna and its culture. Several dinners provided a relaxed atmosphere for informal dialogue and networking, to get to know each other and share their experiences and perspectives.
International network for the future of journalism
Since 2015, the program has offered participating journalism students a unique opportunity to explore current issues in an intercultural environment and deepen their knowledge of multimedia journalism. This has created a sustainable network of young journalists who stay in touch and support each other after the program. Especially in countries like Ukraine and Georgia, the project makes an important contribution to the promotion of independent journalism and strengthens the self-confidence of budding reporters.
But what makes the ISMJ so special? How do students benefit from international cooperation? And what have been the highlights of the past 10 years? In this video, former participants, teachers and media experts talk about their experiences, the biggest challenges and the best moments.
Looking ahead: The next ten years of ISMJ
The second project week will take place in Warsaw from June 30 to July 4, as it is still not possible to hold it in Lviv due to the ongoing war. However, a return to Lviv remains the long-term goal.
Thanks to the support of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), the OeAD Cooperation Office Lviv and the Austrian Cultural Forum Warsaw, the project could be successfully realised in the anniversary year. We thank all partner institutions for their valuable support and look forward to the next ten years of the ISMJ!
About the International School of Multimedia JournalismThe ISMJ was established after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014. The project is a collaboration between the Journalism & Media Management study programs at FHWien der WKW, the Ukrainian Catholic University of Lviv and the OeAD Cooperation Office in Lviv. It`s aim is to strengthen the connection between the two countries and send a signal of support for Ukraine. Since the second year of its existence, the Danish School of Media and Journalism and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs have also participated as additional project partners. Further information about the ISMJ can be found on the project website at https://multimediajournalism.eu/.
The project is being carried out with financial support from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMBWF) and is being realised in cooperation with the OeAD Cooperation Office Lviv, the Ukranian Catholic University and the Austrian Cultural Forum in Warsaw. |
