Teachers from Bangladeshi universities are developing a common climate reporting curriculum to strengthen journalism education, improve climate coverage and equip future reporters with scientific knowledge and practical reporting skills.
Teachers from several Bangladeshi universities have begun work on developing a common climate reporting curriculum aimed at preparing future journalists to cover the growing challenges of climate change with greater expertise.
The initiative was discussed during a two-day co-design workshop held at CCULB Resort in Purbachal, Dhaka, beginning on Friday, July 3, under the Agile project. Participants reviewed a draft curriculum and discussed teaching methods, assessment systems and strategies for introducing the course into university programmes.
Faculty members from journalism and mass communication departments of several universities attended the workshop, including Begum Rokeya University, Jagannath University, the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and the University of Barishal. The sessions were facilitated by Communication and Journalism Educators Network (CJEN) Chairman Professor Jude William Genilo and journalist Jesmin Papri.
The first day of the workshop focused on both the theoretical and practical aspects of climate journalism. Professor Dr. M. Shahjahan Mondal of the Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM) at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) introduced participants to the fundamentals of climate science, Bangladesh’s climate vulnerabilities and the country’s key challenges.
Later, Prothom Alo journalist Mostafa Yusuf discussed how economic, social and policy issues intersect with climate change reporting. The day’s final session was moderated by Professor Gift Gwindingwe of Great Zimbabwe University, where participants shared their experiences and reflected on the lessons learned during the training.
The second day centred on a proposed university course on climate reporting. Participants reviewed a draft course outline that had been developed during an earlier Agile co-design meeting held in Sri Lanka in March 2026. They exchanged views on how the course could be incorporated into the curricula of their respective universities while taking into account their institutional contexts.
Participants were then divided into groups to work on the course content, teaching methods, assessment framework and implementation strategy. Through group presentations and discussions, they recommended further refinements to strengthen the draft curriculum.
Speakers at the workshop said climate change is not only an environmental issue but is also closely linked to the economy, society, public health and policymaking. They said future journalists must develop the skills needed to combine scientific evidence, policy decisions and people’s lived experiences to produce accurate and impactful reporting.
They expressed hope that introducing climate reporting courses at higher education institutions would strengthen the capacity of the next generation of journalists and contribute to improving the quality of climate journalism in Bangladesh.
Agile is a global initiative funded by the European Union and implemented from 2025 to 2028 to strengthen independent journalism worldwide. Its partners include Internews Europe, Fojo Media Institute, CFI Développement Médias, Thomson Media and Article 19. Under the initiative, Fojo Media Institute leads the “The Future of Journalism” workstream.
