On Monday, the 10^th of September, a new group of students entered the School of Advanced Journalism Studies for the first time. The event represents also the entry into a new world – that of media professionals, but, officially, this will happen next summer. Until then, a variety of courses, challenges, and interesting people are waiting for them. The school instructors, came on Monday to welcome their followers and wish them much courage.

“Courage” was one of the key words in both the instructors’ messages and those of the graduates who came to welcome the students for the 2018-2019 school year. Sorina Ştefârţă, director of the School, congratulated the fresh students and wished them tenacity, uprightness and much patience both during their studies and especially after graduation, when they will begin their mass media job. She encouraged them to make the most of the experience of professionals in many fields they will know at school, and be more open to innovation, on which the SAJS will be focused this year. On the same note, Liliana Barbăroşie, Radio Free Europe reporter, graduate of the first SAJS promotion, but also the Radio Journalism instructor, assured the students of plenary support on behalf of the instructors, during and after their studies. At the same time, she referred to the difference between mercenary journalism and the objective, the qualitative one, adding that integrity and impartiality are a priority.

Nadine Gogu, executive director of the Center for Independent Journalism, highlighted the importance of respecting professional deontology. “In the context of a divided society, the ethical and responsible character of the journalistic act is very important. During the Ethics and Diversity course, together we will propose solutions to eradicate the shortcomings in today’s media”, she said.

In her turn, Elena Cioina, trainer who will teach the Social Journalism and Editor's www.E-Sănătate.md platform, urged students to trust their own strengths and never let themselves be disappointed: It's an exciting and motivating profession, but also a challenging one. But when you will like it, you will practice it with great pleasure”. The idea was supported by Cristian Jardan, director of the Unimedia.info, one of our graduates and, more recently, an instructor at the SAJS. He spoke to young people about the growing opportunities that new technologies brought to journalist activity, the most accessible of which is already the usual mobile phone. The role of new technologies has also been recognized by Cristina Mogâldea, head of “Media Azi” and Research Department at CIJ. However, as an instructor of the Romanian language stylistics course, Cristina said that language mistakes are unforgivable, whether on radio, TV or online. As a result, she promised an exciting and very useful course.

The former students came to meet and speak to their future colleagues too. The graduates of the 2017-2018 promotion, Andrei Cebotari and Alexandra Bodarev, talked about their experience at the SAJS, but also about how this school had changed their lives.

The School of Advanced Journalism Studies is a CIJ professional training program launched in autumn 2006 to prepare a new generation of journalists for Moldavian media market. Since then, the School has over 170 graduates, many of them being notorious personalities in the field of journalism.