Since its launch in 2009, the AJF has evolved into a highly prized mid-career programme for outstanding media professionals. The Fellowship brings around 15 Asian journalists to Singapore for three months, fully sponsored.

Temasek Foundation International, which initiated the programme to build bridges between Asian journalists, and between their countries and Singapore, has a new partner to host the AJF this year. The Institute of Policy Studies, a prominent research centre that is part of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore, takes over from the previous AJF host, the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University.

“The Fellowship is an excellent opportunity for committed journalists to take time out from the newsroom and reflect on the challenges facing journalism today, the reasons why they still want no other job in the world, and to work on a meaningful research project of their choice,” said AJF Director Alan John. “Eight batches of Fellows have found that spending three months in Singapore with a group of interesting media professionals from this diverse continent, is an enriching, fulfilling experience. Fellows hone their journalistic skills, learn new ones and make friends for life.”

Temasek Foundation International Chief Executive Benedict Cheong said: “Year after year, we see a strong sense of camaraderie among every batch of Fellows and it heartens us that that many of them remain deeply connected with each other, keeping abreast of economic and social development issues in their communities. In the spirit of continuing this engagement, Temasek Foundation International welcomes our new partner, the well-established Institute of Policy Studies of Singapore, to join us in growing the Fellowship and taking it to a higher level.”

Institute of Policy Studies Director Janadas Devan said: “Media developments are a key area of research at IPS and we are pleased to host this worthwhile programme. We hope seasoned journalists will take the opportunity to come to Singapore and spend time considering the numerous challenges faced by countries in our region and beyond. IPS is well placed to connect Fellows with experts in academia as well as with key decision-makers and thought leaders here.”

During their stay, Fellows will take part in seminars and workshops designed to sharpen professional skills and deepen their understanding of key trends shaping their profession. Fellows also get to work on an independent project and pursue their intellectual interests, guided by experts on and off campus.

AJF also provides access to key newsmakers in Singapore’s public sector, business community and civil society, offering insights into the challenges faced by one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan hub cities.

So far, 128 journalists from 17 Asian countries and territories have participated in the programme.

Quotes from AJF 2016 Fellows:

There were 18 Fellows in 2016, including Audrey Li Jiajia from China. Despite a successful career as a television presenter with a huge following, she said that at the start of 2016 she felt she was stuck in a difficult place after 10 years of TV journalism.

“Being a journalist in China had become more and more challenging against the backdrop of increasing censorship and market pressure. So I decided to hit the pause button and recharge myself by applying for the AJF,” she said. “The AJF summer was one of the best times in my life. I learnt so much about writing and photography, politics, the protection of workers’ rights and journalism in Singapore, as well as what’s going on in the Muslim world, sustainable development strategies and so on.”

For her research project, Audrey examined the Singapore model of politics and governance and whether the city state had lessons for China. She wrote two articles that were published and she has been asked to contribute a chapter to a forthcoming book on the relevance of the Singapore model to China. She said: “AJF has been such a fruitful and inspiring experience!”

Timothy James Dimacali – “TJ” to everyone – is Science and Technology Editor at GMA News in Manila and was one of the 2016 Fellows. He said: “I applied for the AJF after seven years in science journalism. Up until then, most of the skills I had acquired were self-taught: while I did have previous writing experience and I’ve always been an unabashed science geek, a marriage of the two as a viable career was practically unheard-of. The AJF was a way for me to learn from some of the best minds in journalism, both peers and mentors alike, as well as to firm up my skills with a solid academic framework.”

“I came into the fellowship expecting a straight-laced academic programme, and that alone would’ve made the experience well worth it. But the AJF turned out to be so much more! It was an adventure into so many aspects of the lives and culture not just of our gracious Singaporean hosts but also of all my co-Fellows — now life-long friends — from across Asia. Opportunities for learning like that are hard to come by, but the AJF is certainly one that shouldn’t be missed.”