Stanford Innovation Journalism Program (INJO):

Since 2006 through 2009, CSF has started a programme of sponsoring participation of leading Pakistani journalists in the Innovation Journalism Fellowship Program at Stanford University in California. The first INJO group delegation went in February 2007 on a six month fellowship Programme.

The INJO group for 2008 consist of four leading journalists from the Pakistani media, Mr. Khaleeq Kiyani, Reporter from Dawn News, Mr. Faisal Rehman, Reporter from Channel News One, Mr. Khalid Mustafa, Economic Correspondent from The News and Ms. Phyza Jameel, Producer at CNBC Pakistan.

Starting their fellowship programme in March 2008, the INJO group will over a period of four to six months, have the opportunity to refine their expertise in reporting on innovation and build international collegial networks. The time is divided between working with top tier U.S.-based news rooms on covering innovation and participating in fellows group activities at Stanford. By adopting such working method, each fellow was able to obtain a better understanding of innovation processes, experience different journalism cultures and different entrepreneurial viewpoints, observe international aspects of the innovation economy and become a part of an international collegial network of innovation journalists.

The program is supporting in linking technology and business reporting in Pakistan and bridging the gap between Pakistani reporting and reporting in the US and other countries. After completing the program, the fellows will receive a Stanford Certificate. An alumni program supports the established networks after their fellowship periods end.

Building on previous experience, CSF is expecting following results from the International Innovation Journalism Fellowship Program:

• Increasing public focus on innovation, business and technology through the Pakistani news
• Improving communication within clusters or innovation systems, bolstering economic development in Pakistan
• Encouraging greater understanding of the rapidly developing global innovation economy
• Recognition of innovation journalism as a practice of bridging the existing gap between business and science/technology in the news
• Increased understanding of the role of journalism and the news in driving innovation
• An international community of innovation journalists supported by an alumni network
• Enhanced personal networks between international fellows and US hosts
• Nurturing greater understanding of a fellow's society in his/her US hosting publication
• Fostering understanding on how elite universities operate

CSF and Stanford have also formally created the working mechanism for CSF's support of Pakistani participation in the program, including provisions for a project coordinator to be employed on-site by Stanford to assist the Pakistani journalists with logistics and liaison with their host editors and publications.