In recent years, cross-border investigative projects have increasingly seen scientists and scholars not just as interviewees but as active collaborators throughout the investigative process. Such collaborations, while powerful, require careful design from the start. For example, scientists and journalists often have diverging agendas, timelines, and constraints. There is an inherent imbalance between scientific expertise and the ability of journalists to critically evaluate the validity of a specific scientific approach, leaving journalists reliant on scientists' judgment and at risk of losing control over the direction of the investigation. To address these and other challenges there is a need for structured guidelines, recommendations, and potentially a code of conduct to ensure independence, equity, and effective use of resources. In this networking session, the participants will discuss what those guidelines might look like and co-create a practical blueprint for fostering respectful and productive collaborations between journalists and scholars. The session's outcome will be a co-created roadmap of suggestions, insights, and practical recommendations.
Cross-border collaborative investigations are now an established practice in journalism, and the role of coordinator is gaining a clearer definition. Yes, many questions about the coordinator's role and work remain open, as each investigation is different and presents different challenges. While some organisations specialise in hosting and coordinating collaborative projects, there are also many cross-border investigations coordinated by individual journalists in an ad-hoc manner. In this session we'd like to consider the possibility of developing a cross-border editorial framework and mindset that would help us decide which topics to investigate from the beginning of a collaboration. We will look at ideas on how to best manage diverse, cross-border teams who have varying cultural and journalistic backgrounds; how to work remotely across different time zones with freelancers and staffers, newcomers and veterans, data journalists and writers. When it comes to publishing partners, how do you navigate the varying requirements of legacy media and independent newsrooms? Whether you have experience coordinating cross-border investigations or you'd like to get some experience in the field - join the discussion!
Back by popular demand (yes, really!) The OSINT treasure hunt gives Dataharvesters a chance to have some fun, test their OSINT skills and lateral thinking, and get some fresh air on the streets of Mechelen. Either come as a team (3 is a good number) or find other team members at the beginning of the session.
