The last three weeks of March 2010 witnessed significant discussions and dialogues on Media training and the development of a Media Code of Ethics for Vietnamese journalists within the scope of the MediaPro project. More than 100 senior representatives of Media organisations and lecturers from Media training institutions took an active part in a series of discussions, meetings and workshops to identify areas for improvement in the current Vietnam Media training curriculum as well as providing input to the development of a code of ethics for Vietnam’s Media profession.

MediaPro is a two-year project, valued at roughly £200,000, supported by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office through the British Embassy. The project is being implemented by the British Council, in partnership with the Academy of Journalism and Communications, Vietnam National Universities’ two Departments of Journalism and Communications in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and the Vietnam Journalists’ Association.  

MediaPro aims to support the improvement of the professional and ethical performance of journalists through the development of a coherent and practical Media Code of Ethics, which will be used as a guide by all Media actors in Vietnam. MediaPro has enabled professional exchanges of ideas and experiences between UK Media curriculum developers and lecturers with their peers in Vietnam to revise and update the Media training curriculum delivered at all three of Vietnam’s key media training institutions. This has helped to provide the Media industry with graduates with a wide range of Media knowledge and skills, enabling them to start their journalism careers successfully.

The project was developed following the success of a recent pilot carried out by City University London and British Council Vietnam, in partnership with the Vietnam Journalists’ Association and the three key Media training institutions, identifying areas of need in terms of media development in Vietnam. In addition, the project has also received valuable contributions and inputs in its design from donors who have previously been active in Media development activities in Vietnam, such as SIDA and UNESCO.