Thursday 23 October 2014 – Lunchtime seminar with Dr Lily Canter (Journalism, SHU)

Title: Chasing the accreditation dream: do employers value accredited courses or are HE institutions pursuing an archaic endorsement scheme?
Speaker: Dr Lily Canter (Journalism, SHU)

Dr Lily Canter is a former print journalist and current Subject Group Leader for Journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. Her research interests include journalism education, digital journalism, regional newspapers, hyperlocal journalism, utilising social media networks as a journalistic tool and digital ethics. She has published research articles in the peer reviewed journals Journalism Education, Digital Journalism, Journalism Practice, Convergence and Journalism: Criticism, Theory and Practice and has published chapters in Routledge media textbooks.

Enhancing the experience and employability of students within the subject of journalism is dependent upon learners being prepared with the relevant skills and expertise. With the growth of interest in digital and broadcast media, journalism institutions such as Sheffield Hallam University are faced with the question of whether various accreditation schemes remain relevant to employability and career progression. There are currently three bodies which offer accreditation to journalism programmes – National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) and Professional Publishers Association (PPA).

Indeed there is great uncertainty amongst higher education institutions over the correlation between accredited courses, student employability and industry expectation. Some journalism scholars and educators argue that student employability is no longer dependent on accreditation or professional qualification, in an era of rapid globalisation and digitalisation. There is a large vacuum of independent research of this kind in the UK and in particular the needs and expectations of industry employers have not been studied. This exploratory study therefore aims to conduct qualitative research with a sample of employers in all news sectors to identify the value they place on accredited HE courses.

1.00PM – 2.00PM
THURSDAY 23 OCTOBER 2014
CANTOR 9020a

All SHU staff and students are welcome to attend the C3RI Lunchtime Research Seminars. If you are from outside of the University and would like to attend a seminar, please email CCRC Administrator, Rachel Finch (R [dot] Finch [at] shu [dot] ac [dot] uk) to arrange for entry.