Steve Geimann, the newly appointed President of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, talked with us on the importance and process of journalism education accreditation.
He said that accreditation is crucial for ensuring the quality and integrity of journalism education worldwide. He noted that the ACEJMC has accredited about 120 universities globally. The Council has rigorous standards that universities must meet, covering aspects such as curriculum, faculty, and resources.
He also touched on the challenges of international accreditation, particularly in countries that are less friendly to free press, and the need to adapt to cultural and historical differences in journalism practices. He said accreditation is not dependent on the local country having a strong record on freedom. He added, however, the importance of press freedom education. He noted that schools in countries with limited press freedom, such as the UAE, teach their students about global press freedom practices and acknowledge cultural differences while requiring students to understand how press freedom operates in various countries.
Geimann said the ACEJMC always needs volunteers of working journalists to conduct the accreditation inspections and interviews. He noted that the travel and lodging costs are borne by the applying school and the ACEJMC. He encouraged people to reach out to him by e-mail if they are interested in working with the ACEJMC.