Study media in France, Turkey or Italy this summer

As many of you know, when I'm not blogging or teaching journalism at San Francisco State University I'm directing a summer media study-abroad program sponsored by the Institute for Education in International Media (ieiMedia).

ieiMedia programs are open to English-speaking students from colleges and universities all over the world, who gather to study media skills, as well as the local language and culture, and spend four incredible weeks reporting on the city. Students create a website or print magazine about each community. Participants earn 3 transferable credits from a university.

We've just announced the programs for summer 2011:

Urbino, Italy

(Section 1: Multimedia Reporting or Section 2: Magazine Publishing)
June 9-July 7, 2011

Urbino lies in the northern part of central Italy’s Marche Region, nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. Many say the Renaissance started here under the patronage of Duke Federico da Montefeltro, whose twin-turreted palace still houses an outstanding collection of period art. Other attractions include a unique botanical garden and the boyhood home of the Renaissance artist Raphael. Lively beach towns are a bus ride away. Students will live and learn at the University of Urbino, with all meals included. Students who sign up for the magazine publishing project will produce Urbino Now, a digital English-language magazine. Those who sign up for Multimedia Reporting will study photography, international reporting and video and produce a website about the city. The programs include full room and board in a recently renovated, air-conditioned dormitory.

Perpignan, France

June 23-July 23, 2011

Study multimedia storytelling and French language and culture in this charming Catalan city near the Spanish border. Students will study blogging, shooting and editing video, and international reporting and create a multimedia website about the community. Perpignan lies in the Languedoc region of southwestern France, 8 miles west of the Mediterranean Sea and 19 miles north of the Spanish border, within sight of the Pyrenees. The city features a charming, pedestrian-friendly historic quarter; a daily market; numerous summer arts festivals and lively night life. Many attractions in France and Spain are only a short train ride away. Students will live in air-conditioned studios in a modern hotel and study French at respected language academy.

Istanbul, Turkey

Dates TBA

Come report on this exotic yet sophisticated city, the only major metropolis that straddles two continents, Asia and Europe. While steeped in history, Istanbul is an energetic modern city where people from around the world still come to make a future. You can explore it easily by public transportation and on foot. Students will cover street life, politics, culture and the arts, while learning about blogging, basic multimedia techniques and Turkish language and culture. Stories will be published in a digital magazine and considered for inclusion in a book about the city.

Find out more at our website, ieimedia.com.

Study multimedia journalism in Italy or France

Do you dream about being a foreign correspondent? Would you like to learn "backpack" (multimedia) journalism skills in Europe for college credit?

San Francisco State University and the Institute for Education in International Media (ieiMedia), are co-sponsoring 4-week intensive summer sessions in Italy and France in the summer of 2010.

The programs are open to college students and recent graduates from all schools.

* Urbino, Italy (June 3-July 2, 2010) This picturesque Renaissance hill town is the capital of the Marche region, a beautiful but little-touristed region of Central Italy. The city's impressive Ducal Palace houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. Students study digital video, photography, blogging and reporting (as well as intercultural communication and Italian language) and produce an online documentary about the town (see last year’s project at http://inurbino.net). Students will live and dine (most meals included) in a University of Urbino dormitory.

* Perpignan, France (June 24-July 23, 2010) Perpignan lies in the Languedoc region of southwestern France, 8 miles west of the Mediterranean Sea and 19 miles north of the Spanish border, within sight of the Pyrenees. The city features a charming, pedestrian-friendly historic quarter; a daily market; and lively night life. Many attractions in France and Spain are only a short train ride away. Students will share studios in a modern apartment-hotel and take French and multimedia classes at the ALFMED language school in the heart of the old city. This program puts a particular emphasis on video storytelling; students will produce an online video gallery about the city.

Students can earn 3 transferable units of upper-division undergraduate credit (JOUR 677 Multimedia Study Abroad) through the San Francisco State University College of Extended Learning.

Program cost: $4,900 plus airfare

Early-bird rate (for students who apply by Jan. 15, 2010): $4,700

For more information about the Urbino program, email UrbinoProject@gmail.com; to learn more about Perpignan, email PerpignanProject@gmail.com. Go to http://inarmagh.net and http://incagli.net to see past ieiMedia student projects.

Applications will be available on the ieiMedia Web site beginning Nov. 1.

Study multimedia in Italy, N. Ireland this summer

In case you're wondering why I've posted so little lately, it's because I've been devoting a lot of time to negotiating an agreement between San Francisco State University and the Institute for Education in International Media to offer multimedia study-abroad programs next summer. The deal is done!

In 2009 SFSU and ieiMedia will co-sponsor month-long programs in Urbino, Italy (June 30-July 30) and Armagh, Northern Ireland (July 15-August 16).

Students will be able to earn 3 units of journalism credit through the SFSU College of Extended Learning. Students and recent graduates from all universities and majors are welcome to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 1.

The institute, a pioneer in converged media education, has been taking students abroad since 2001.

The programs in Armagh and Urbino are a continuation of the ieiMedia philosophy of taking students to communities that are off the beaten tourist track, allowing them to immerse themselves in the local culture. Students will learn various aspects of digital storytelling -- including photography, video, writing for the Web, blogging and Web design -- and will produce an online multimedia documentary about the local community (see InArmagh.net and InCagli.net for examples of work from previous years). Students will also study intercultural communication and Irish history and culture (Armagh) and Italian language (Urbino).

The cost of the program is $4,475 plus airfare. For more information and an application for Urbino contact UrbinoProject@gmail.com; for Armagh contact ArmaghProject@gmail.com.

About Armagh, N. Ireland
Situated on the Irish Republic’s border, Armagh is a city rich in culture and history. It was here that St. Patrick reportedly built the first stone church in 445 and two cathedrals in his name still tower over the city. With 15,000 residents, Armagh has a wide range of attractions: museums, national parks, historic castles and houses, a modern theater, a university, Ireland’s only planetarium, and numerous restaurants and pubs. Activities include golf, fishing, bicycling, and hiking. Armagh is served by public transportation and is one hour from Belfast, two from Dublin, and three from Galway.

Classes will be held in the AmmA Centre, a multimedia creative learning centre in Armagh. Students will live in the Armagh City Youth Hostel,a modern facility with private baths. Some meals will be provided, and students will have access to a large communal kitchen, as well as laundry facilities.


About Urbino, Italy
Urbino is a picturesque Renaissance hill town and the capital of the Marche region, a beautiful but little-touristed region of Central Italy. The city’s impressive Ducal Palace houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. The artist Raphael was born in Urbino (in 1483) and visitors can tour his family home, which is now a museum. Other attractions include a small botanical garden, a medieval church and a 14thcentury fortress offering stunning views of the town and the surrounding hills.

The University of Urbino, founded in 1506, will provide classroom space as well as housing. Students will live in a residence hall; all meals in the university dining facility are included.