The online tutored course on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) will be delivered in English from 3 to 30 March 2025, as part of the HEY programme. Aimed at young people from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, the objectives of this course are as follows:
- To enhance knowledge on human rights and freedom of expression specifically through the understanding of the theoretical framework (concepts and principles), as well as the role of media and regulation and self-regulation and media ethical standards.
- To enhance media and information literacy competences (knowledge and skills) in the digital sphere by development of critical thinking and critical assessment.
- To build resilience and e-participation in the context of information disorder and new technologies.
Following the call for applications launched on the occasion of International Education Day on 24 January 2025, a total of 555 applications were received from 93 countries. A call for applications for the French edition of the course will be launched soon. Editions in other languages are also planned for the future.
Topics covered
The course will cover various dimensions of media literacy and information, and how they are related to human rights and democracy, including a special focus on relevant legal frameworks, freedom of expression, privacy, digital threats, critical analysis, media manipulation, the role of digital platforms, online participation, and emerging digital threats, among others.
Applications for the course are closed. The selection will be carried out by the secretariat of the North-South Centre, seeking gender and geographical balance.
Further information
HEY is a new programme by the North-South Centre that aims at building capacity of young people in Europe, Africa and the Middle East to act for human rights, by raising their knowledge and understanding of European standards and other international legal frameworks for human rights protection, such as specific United Nations, League of Arab States and African Union treaties, conventions, protocols and charters, on issues identified as important by young people and in line with the priorities of the Council of Europe.
It builds on the Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) programme, which has been successfully training legal professionals on topics related to human rights and rule of law for over 20 years in Council of Europe member States and beyond, combining that expertise with the experience gathered by the North-South Centre over 35 years working with young people and civil society and the Council of Europe’s long history of building capacity of young people and organised civil society on human rights in its member states
Implemented in the framework of the iLEGEND III project, the course contributes to empower young people to imagine ways to address global crises and counter fear-based thinking. It fosters active citizenship to promote justice, human rights and democracy, co-responsibility, equity, and sustainable development at local and global level.
It builds on the successful implementation of the course on Global Education and Media in 2022, 2023 and 2024, which was revised to include relevant content from the HELP course on Freedom of Expression, as well as relevant information and resources from the Council of Europe and other recognised sources.
Human rights education is part of SDG 4.7. to ensure that all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development and to contribute, among other, to promote a culture of global citizenship.
The English edition of the course, delivered from March 3 to 30, 2025, will soon be followed by the French edition.
Useful links
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