The International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, in cooperation with COPEAM - Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Media, thanks to a first financing from the EIB-European Investment Bank, has developed an international post-graduate study programme mainly delivered in e-learning mode to offer journalists from the Mediterranean, MENA and Africa area the opportunity to update their professional skills and specialise on climate change issues.

The project Reporting Climate Change - Microcredentials for Mediterranean Journalists aims to further develop the original programme, defining it according to European academic standards and making it more qualifying for participants.

From the end of 2020 to the beginning of 2023, 3 modules and a series of case studies were produced and digitised, a Digital Library was set up and made available to students even after the course ended, and over 100 hours of interactive classes were delivered via the UNINETTUNO e-learning platform. The programme involved important professionals, lecturers, tutors and experts in the field in the faculty. In order to promote Italian best practices, important companies such as RAI and Enel took part in the programme. Thanks to the partnership and coordination of COPEAM, the students participated in group and individual work during the Conferences of the Parties (COP) in Glasgow and Sharm El Sheik, where newsrooms were set up with the physical and remote participation of journalists participating in the programme and lecturers, and field exercises were carried out. It is important to mention that the project was developed around the theme of raising awareness of the consequences of Climate Change, which is one of the most urgent and topical issues and its impact is visibly affecting all regions of the world. In particular, the Mediterranean area represents a delicate ecosystem and is highly susceptible to the variations of climate change, warming 20% faster than the global average.

Climate and environment are intertwined with other issues such as migration, public health, food security, energy and industrial policies, and labour. Citizens need to be more aware of the threats of climate change, of the mitigation and adaptation strategies that can be implemented at national and international level, and of the contribution that individuals can make to tackle this phenomenon. In this sense, the media have a crucial role to play in informing correctly and nurturing a healthy public debate. The training project focuses precisely on training and the transfer of skills and knowledge to journalists in order to ensure structured and constant information on these issues in countries where it is often insufficient and superficial. The project will be able to count on massive media exposure thanks to the involvement of the public broadcasters in the Mediterranean that are members of COPEAM and all the news organs linked to them.