- Dates: 15–17 September 2025
- Location: Aberystwyth
- Deadline for applications: 11 May 2025
Ynglŷn â'r Ysgol Hyfforddi / About the Training School
The first PLURILINGMEDIA Training School will take place from 15 to 17 September 2025 in Aberystwyth, Wales, in collaboration with the University Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. Organised by Working Group 4 (Journalism), the Training School will offer early-career researchers, students, and media practitioners the opportunity to explore journalism in minority languages through a programme of lectures, workshops, field visits, and networking events.
The programme covers theoretical and practical perspectives and includes contributions from professional journalists and case studies from various European minority contexts. English will be the language of instruction.
There is no participation fee. Travel and subsistence costs reimbursed according to COST rules.
Rhaglen / Programme
There is an optional programme before the actual start of the Training School. On Saturday, 13 September, participants can attend a music festival at Aberystwyth Castle. Full details of the programme and timings can be found on the festival’s Facebook page. Sunday, 14 September is a travel day. There will be an informal, optional gathering and dinner at The Cambrian, which is opposite the train station. This will be our base for the evening.
Date | Time | Programme |
|---|---|---|
15.09. | 09:00–10:30 | Workshop 1: Introduction and presentations (Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, Craig Willis, Jenny Stenberg-Sirén, Orsolya Bukovinszky-Csáki & Jakob Volgger) |
10:30–11:00 | Mid-morning break | |
11:00–12:30 | Workshop 2: Overview of history and research about minority language media – and a glance into the future (Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones & Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed) | |
12:30–13:30 | Lunch at the National Library of Wales (paid separately from your daily allowance) | |
13:30–15:00 | Workshop 3: News and sports in minority languages (Iolo Cheung) | |
15:00–15:30 | Mid-afternoon break | |
15:30–17:30 | Workshop 4: Presentation of task 1 “burning issues in minority media contexts” by the participants (Chair: Jenny Stenberg-Sirén) | |
Evening | Dinner at Baravin (paid separately from your daily allowance) | |
16.09. | 09:00–10:30 | Workshop 5: In the language or for the language – professional identity of journalists in minority language media (Jenny Stenberg-Sirén & Orsolya Bukovinszky-Csáki) |
10:30–11:00 | Mid-morning break | |
11:00–12:30 | Workshop 6: Visit the Wales Broadcast Archive: exhibition and how to use archives in media work at the National Library of Wales | |
12:30–13:30 | Lunch | |
13:30–15:00 | Workshop 7: Digital transition of minority language media – case Der Nordschleswiger (Gwyn Nissen) | |
15:00–15:30 | Mid-afternoon break | |
15:30–17:00 | Workshop 8: Influencers, talent-tubes and diverse voices: online factual content for young people (Guto Rhun) | |
Evening | Drinks and buffet dinner at the Centre, in the company of Ned Thomas, long-standing advocate, author and academic in the field of minority languages | |
Film showing: Y Sŵn | ||
17.09. | 09:00–12:30 | Workshop 9: Group work (task 2) at Arad Goch Theatre Centre, Bath St Aberystwyth |
Journalist’s Guide to Aberystwyth: a walking tour of the town, focussing on political, cultural and linguistic landmarks | ||
Meeting with Emlyn Jones, Mayor of Aberystwyth | ||
12:30–13:30 | Lunch in town or at the National Broadcast Archive (paid separately from your daily allowance) | |
13:30–15:00 | Workshop 10: Panel discussion presenting current research | |
Digital Creators in Minority Language Media Services in the UK: the Institutional View (Craig Willis & Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed) | ||
Minority Public Broadcast and Digitalization (Orsolya Bukovinszky-Csáki) | ||
MIDAS and the current situation of minority language newspapers in Europe (Jakob Volgger) | ||
15:00–15:30 | Mid-afternoon break | |
15:30–16:30 | Workshop 11: Wrap up and reporting on task 2 | |
17:00–19:00 | Optional: Drinks reception at the National Library of Wales | |
20:00 | Dinner at the Glengower (paid separately from your daily allowance) |
Hyfforddwyr / Speakers
Craig Willis
Dr. Craig Willis is a researcher at the European Centre for Minority Issues) and has recently completed his PhD at the Europa-Universität Flensburg with a dissertation titled 'Purpose and Challenges of Minority Language Media. His research focuses broadly on minority language communities, in the context of media but also in activism and civil society. He is the Action Chair of the COST Action 'Language Plurality in Europe's Changing Media Sphere' (PLURILINGMEDIA) which will run until 2028.
Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones
Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones is Professor of Linguistic Diversity and Creative Industries, and Director of the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies at the Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant / University of Wales Trinity Saint David. She is also the current President of the European Language Equality Network. Professor Jones has worked in the field of European minority languages for three decades, focusing on media, the creative and cultural sectors, translation and language policy and practice. She is also a founder member of the Mercator Network and has written several reports for the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Enrique Uribe-Jonbgbloed
Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed holds a BA in Film and TV Studies from the National University of Colombia, an MA in World Heritage Studies from BTU Cottbus, and a PhD in Media Studies from Aberystwyth University, where he researched identity negotiations in minority language media in Wales and Colombia. He has taught at several Colombian universities and since 2018 has been researcher and lecturer at Universidad Externado de Colombia, where he heads the Recasens Research Group in Communication. His teaching spans comics, audiovisual culture and research methodology. He has served on the selection committee of the India Catalina Awards (2016–2020) and as external evaluator for the Colombian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and South Africa’s National Research Foundation. He is currently a Research Fellow with the Media Cymru project.
Guto Rhun
Guto Rhun is currently working as Young Audiences Commissioner at S4C. In this role, he is responsible for developing and commissioning a wide range of content for S4C’s 16-25-year-old audience. One of his primary responsibilities is Hansh, S4C’s online youth Service. He is currently developing Hansh to be a hub for long-form entertainment formats, scripted comedy and drama, and the place to be for emerging talent.
Gwyn Nissen
Gwyn Nissen is a journalist from the German minority in Southern Denmark with over 40 years’ experience in local and regional media. After starting at Der Nordschleswiger, he spent more than two decades at Jydske Tidende/JydskeVestkysten (now JFM Medier), later became editor-in-chief and CEO of Dansk Transport Forlag, and since 2013 has led Der Nordschleswiger. He has managed editorial teams for more than 30 years and has driven the paper’s digital transformation since 2016, introducing new formats such as video, podcasts and social media.
Iolo Cheung
BBC Cymru
Jakob Volgger
Jakob Volgger is a junior researcher at the Center for Autonomy Experience of Eurac Research. His work there focuses on issues related to autonomy and minority protection in South Tyrol. As part of his activities for the European Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages (MIDAS), he also studies the topic of minority language media. He is a member of the research network PLURILINGMEDIA.
Jenny Stenberg-Sirén
Dr Jenny Stenberg-Sirén works as a University Lecturer in Journalism and as Vice Rector for societal impact and public engagement at the Swedish School of Social Science at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Her research combines studies of media and journalism with language, with a special focus on minority language media, making her one of the few experts on the Finland Swedish media market. In addition to her research and international networks, her expertise builds on her close connection to the media field, her background as a news journalist and on her extensive teaching of courses in Journalism. She is frequently interviewed by media and commissioned for reports and analysis about media issues. She is leader of Working Group 4 Journalism in Plurilingmedia.
Ned Thomas
Ned Thomas has had a varied career as a writer and journalist, academic and publisher, language activist and researcher in the field of European minorities. He was one of the founders of the Mercator Network and its first director in Wales. He was a member of the drafting committee of the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights. He received an Honorary Degree from the Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant / University of Wales Trinity Saint David and is a Fellow of the Coleg Cymraeg Cened-laethol and of the Learned Society of Wales. He received the Blue Robe of the Gorsedd at the 2018 National Eisteddfod.
Orsolya Bukovinszky-Csáki (Sarány)
Orsolya Bukovinszky-Csáki (Sarány) is a journalist and PhD student from the Hungarian minority in Romania. She studied Communication and PR, Media Communication, Diplomacy and Intercultural Studies, and is completing her PhD at the Doctoral School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Debrecen. Her research focuses on Hungarian-language print media in Transylvania, the role of local and rural media, and their influence on Romanian–Hungarian relations. Since 2016 she has worked for several Hungarian-language outlets in Romania and is currently employed at Székely Konyha és Kert magazine. She is a member of the Hungarian Journalists’ Association of Romania, serving on its Board of Directors, and also works at the WAC – Centre for Regional and Anthropological Research, contributing to various projects.
Craig Willis
European Centre for Minority Issues
Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones
Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant / University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Enrique Uribe-Jonbgbloed
Prifysgol Caerdydd / Cardiff University
Gwyn Nissen
Der Nordschleswiger
Guto Rhun
S4C
Iolo Cheung
BBC Cymru
Jakob Volgger
Eurac Research
Jenny Stenberg-Sirén
University of Helsinki
Ned Thomas
Orsolya Bukovinszky-Csáki
WAC – Center for Regional and Anthropological Research, Székely Konyha és Kert magazine
Attendance and travel information
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