IBA Karachi welcomes 4th MS in Journalism cohort after program’s relaunch

21 August, 2023: The Centre for Excellence in Journalism at the Institute of Business Administration (CEJ-IBA), warmly welcomed the 4th batch of the Master’s in Journalism (MSJ) program after relaunching it for the Fall 2023 intake.

The CEJ arranged an event to welcome the new students. The event was attended by officials from U.S. Consulate Karachi and Public Affairs Officer, Lee McManis warmly welcomed guests.

Ms. Amber Rahim Shamsi, CEJ Director, expressed great pleasure on relaunching the Program and said, “MSJ is unique since it is the only journalism program in the country that teaches reporting and digital skills from the start.”

Dr. Asma Hyder, Professor and Dean, School of Economics and Social Sciences, lauded the efforts of the CEJ team under the leadership of Ms. Shamsi and stated, “The CEJ is doing a brilliant job. I am looking forward to the MSJ classes.”

U.S. Consulate Karachi Public Affairs Officer, Mr. McManis expressed his excitement at being at the event and meeting the new journalism students. He said, “The U.S. government helped establish the Institute of Business Administration, invested in the Center for Excellence in Journalism, and funded this Master of Science in Journalism program because we believe in education. We also highly value and promote freedom of the press, and a dynamic and independent press is essential for any democracy.”

The MSJ is Pakistan’s only practical-based journalism program, aimed at equipping aspiring journalists with the skills, knowledge, and adaptability needed to excel in today's rapidly evolving media landscape. The program blends traditional journalistic principles with cutting-edge digital tools and multimedia storytelling techniques. With a strong emphasis on hands-on experience and real-world application, students will graduate prepared to tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by modern journalism. Our faculty comprises experienced journalists, media professionals, and academics who work in the industry. Their insights ensure students receive relevant and up-to-date knowledge.

The CEJ’s MSJ grant, funded as part of approximately $800,000 in grants from the U.S. government to support CEJ activities, was awarded to IBA to establish a state-of-the-art digital studio and newsroom in the CEJ, and to create the curriculum and classes for the Master of Science in Journalism, which was the first professional graduate program in journalism in Pakistan.

The CEJ also partnered with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) for the “Adenauer Fellowship” under its Media Program Asia, paving the way for brilliance and innovation as well as empowering the next generation of leaders. The application and interview process of the scholarship for the students enrolled in the Fall 2023 intake has been completed, and successful candidate(s) will get 100% tuition fee support as well as a stipend.

In addition, the CEJ has established partnerships with prominent media organizations, providing students with valuable internships and networking opportunities.

The Centre is also in the process of reviving the internship program at US news organizations under the MSJ Program, where the students would be employed in television stations, newspapers, and online news outlets in major regional markets. The goal is to expose young journalists to the ethics, values, and operations of U.S. news organizations to enhance their skills and understanding of the profession.

About CEJ

The CEJ-IBA stands as the nation's most prestigious journalism training facility that has been instrumental in elevating the standards of journalism in Pakistan. It is a U.S. government initiative to advance the professional development of current and future Pakistani journalists and media professionals. The U.S. State Department invested $4 million to establish the Center for Excellence in Journalism in 2014 with the assistance of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Chicago, and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi. This initial U.S. government grant was the largest single public diplomacy grant in Pakistan and the second largest in the world at the time it was awarded. The CEJ was established, and the ongoing trainings and Master of Science in Journalism program were created because the United States greatly values and supports freedom of the press as an independent arm of civil society that informs, educates, and at times brings critical information to light to the citizens in democratic states.