16.08.2023
The Czech News Agency (ČTK) is expanding its collaboration with Charles University. The Memorandum of Mutual Support and Cooperation from 2020, which aims to mutually support Czech science and education, media literacy, freedom of speech and media independence, has been extended to include collaboration between the university and the ČTK Academy. The addendum to the document was signed today by ČTK Director General Jaroslav Kábele and Charles University Rector Milena Králíčková.
In addition to educating students, especially those from the Department of Journalism of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University, as well as teachers and the general public, the collaboration also extends to the promotion of educational events, mainly the organisation of lectures, seminars, courses, workshops and conferences with an emphasis on media literacy, communication and the development of civil society.
"The ČTK has been working with the Faculty of Journalism of Charles University for many years now. We make our news service available to its students, two years ago, the ČTK Academy took over the teaching of a course on agency journalism, and we invite future journalists to the ČTK Summer School. I hope we will be able to jointly prepare a number of other projects and events that will support the training of students and also strengthen public awareness of media issues and the investment of the state and all of us in education," said ČTK Director General Kábele.
Based on the Memorandum, specific contracts and agreements on cooperation between the ČTK and Charles University may emerge, for example, in the area of student internships at the ČTK, the preparation of educational events for the public, or the organisation of joint conferences, primarily with a focus on education, the application of science and research results in practice, the publication and analysis of new trends in health care, pharmaceutics, natural and social sciences, mathematics, cybernetics and other scientific disciplines.
The ČTK may become a media partner of selected events organised by Charles University, without affecting its editorial responsibility and independence.
The Memorandum of Cooperation does not commit either party to any specific content or financial performance. Particular projects and joint activities can only be established on the basis of contracts and agreements that will be made within the framework of the Memorandum. Charles University has similar cooperation agreements with representatives of other public media – Czech Television and Czech Radio.