A newly published study by professor Mariam Gersamia of Ivane Javakhishvilli Tbilisi State University in the Republic of Georgia and Knight Center director Eric Freedman examines the journalism accreditation process in that post-communist South Caucasus country.
Since independence in 1991, Georgia has made significant progress with democratization and now has what is considered the freest, most independent and most diverse press among the ex-Soviet Caucasus and Central Asian countries. There have also been improvements in the quality of journalism education as part of a national process of educational reform, but the curricula remain hampered by Soviet-era legacies in content and pedagogy.
Their essay, “Challenges to Creating Vibrant Media Education in Young Democracies: Accreditation for Media Schools in Georgia,” compares a leading university’s curriculum with the UNESCO model curricula for journalism education. It also discusses the purposes and standards of accreditation for journalism and mass communication programs, and concludes that the current accreditation process in Georgia needs improvement.
The study appeared in Journalism & Mass Communication Educator.