Young media experts from different universities, research centres and think tanks from Council of Europe’s member states gathered at the Palais de l’Europe on 3-4 July 2025 for the first edition of the Summer School for Young Media Researchers, organised by the Media Department.
The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness of the activities of the Council of Europe in the field of media, communications, journalism, and related topics engaging participants in the Organisation’s main policies and priorities while exploring their relevance to contemporary media research.
“It is not enough to do good work. It is equally important to communicate about it, and to do so in a manner that is understandable to all. This is why I welcome this opportunity to meet young media and communication professionals: they were engaging, interested and thought provoking. All key ingredients for successful journalism,” said the Director General Human Rights and Rule of Law Gianluca Esposito at the opening of the meeting.
For two days, participants engaged with Council of Europe officials on issues such as environment and artificial intelligence (AI), the state of democracy in Europe and beyond, freedom of expression, the platform for the safety of journalists, local and regional media, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights as well as the role of the European Audiovisual Observatory.
Antonio Nucci, a Doctoral student at Università della Svizzera italiana shared his experience of the first Summer School for Young Media Researchers: “It was a great opportunity to deepen my knowledge of several important topics related to media and democracy. The programme offered valuable insights, fostered connections with colleagues from different countries, and inspired new ideas for my own research. Witnessing the Council’s commitment to promoting human rights, freedom of expression, and pluralistic media underscored how essential its work is in today’s complex information landscape. Opportunities like this are crucial for researchers, as they not only broaden academic perspectives but also help bridge the gap between scholarship and real-world policymaking.”
Also taking part in the summer school was Dr. Emilija Gagrčin, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Mannheim and Chair of YECREA (Young Scholars Network of the European Communication Research and Education Association). Reflecting on her experience, she noted that while she had previously collaborated with the Council of Europe as a member of its Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ), the summer school offered a different angle on how the Organisation relates (or does not yet relate) to media research. “I was happy to participate and I am eager to keep in touch and develop some ideas such as a hackathon where early-career media scholars work with institutional and media materials to critically engage with the Council of Europe‘s visibility, media presence, or narrative strategies.”
