In the ever-transforming media landscape, editors, news managers, and media executives have had to adapt to changes in audience behaviour, business, and technology - all while covering the news and simultaneously reckoning with issues like diversity, inclusion, and change fatigue. Our Leadership Development programmes ensure that news media leaders face challenges and opportunities from a position of strength.

Our programmes 

We host three types of courses:

  • Open-admission courses: open to applicants from around the world with relevant newsroom management experience
  • Bespoke courses: designed in partnership with and for specific organisations
  • Invite-only forums: for a select group of senior executives and editors

All our programmes offer participants a confidential and constructive setting to exchange actionable ideas and practical insights with colleagues and leadership experts from news organisations around the world. We also present some of the key findings of our in-house research team, who conducts independent, internationally comparative, evidence-based research on digital news consumption and other most significant issues facing journalists and media organisations in a rapidly developing industry. 

Open admission courses
Leading Newsroom Change image/svg+xml image/svg+xml

Programme at a glance 

Leading Newsroom Change is our two-day course for senior media professionals focused on organisational and strategic challenges faced by news organisations. It takes place in person in Oxford.

Programme description 

The course focuses on discussions and presentations by industry experts specialising in organisational transformation, audience development, and business models. It’s an opportunity for participants to step back from day-to-day operations, share experiences off-the-record with colleagues from other news organisations, expand their professional networks, and develop strategies for their own organisations.

We cover topics including:

  • Key digital transformation considerations for news media 

  • Digital news consumption trends, including our Digital News Report

  • Innovations in audience engagement and product development 

  • Culture change in news organisations 

  • Diversity, inclusion and representation  

  • Generative AI and its implications for journalism 

  • How to motivate your teams and guide them through change

  • Business sustainability

Participants benefit from the input and expertise of their fellow attendees through structured group discussions and interactive sessions. The collaborative and interactive nature of the programme helps participants build a network of peers they can turn to for advice long after the course ends.    

The course begins with a welcome dinner on a Wednesday evening and wraps-up by Friday afternoon. 

Who is the course for? 

The course is for editors and senior managers with 10+ years of newsroom management experience interested in developing strategies for how to lead their teams through change. 

Previous participants have come from organisations including AFP, the BBC, El Pais, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Mediahuis, the Financial Times, Rest of World, Dagens Nyheter, DPG Media, The Straits Times, Politiken, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, and many others.

Upcoming courses 

  • 19-20-21 November 2025
  • 18-19-20 February 2026
  • 20-21-22 May 2026
  • 1-2-3 July 2026

Cost and registration 
 
Cost: £2,500 per participant. This includes two evening dinners at Oxford University colleges and two lunches. Accommodation and travel are not included. 
 
Registration: To apply for our Leading Newsroom Change course, please complete this form. 

 

What previous participants say

I really enjoyed the combination of the more externally focussed sessions and the business side of the newsroom leadership. The mix and the level of debate between participants really stands out. 
Melle Garschagen, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, NRC
 
 
One of the best events of it's kind that I've attended.
Hannah Rock, Editor of FT Edit, Financial Times
 
 
An inspiring few days that generated a huge number of ideas for me to concentrate on.
Jennie Matthew, Head of the English Europe/Africa Desk at AFP

 

[RISJ] cultivated such a vibrant 'community of practice'. It not only nourished our professional souls and growth in the moment but also laid a lasting foundation for all attendees. I highly recommend RISJ's leadership development programs, offering an exceptional and enriching learning experience in Oxford.
Karlijn Goosen, Deputy Editor-in-chief, Dutch public broadcaster EO
Essential Skills for Newsroom Managers image/svg+xml image/svg+xml

Programme at a glance 

Essentials Skills for Newsroom Managers is our one-and-a-half-day course on the fundamentals of newsroom leadership, with a specific focus on people management. It takes place in person in Oxford.

Programme description

This course will help participants to develop their people management skills, both in terms of managing direct reports and managing up, create strategies to navigate change and promote effective communication within their teams, and build their professional network.  

Participants will learn practical insights on: 

  • The market forces shaping the news industry and how this affects changes in the newsroom  

  • Fostering healthy team dynamics and wellbeing  

  • Having difficult conversations and providing effective feedback   

  • How to effectively push for change within your organisation  

  • Defining your leadership style

Participants also benefit from the input and expertise of their fellow attendees through structured group discussions and interactive sessions. The collaborative and interactive nature of the programme helps participants build a network of peers they can turn to for advice long after the course ends.

Who is the course for? 

  • New and junior newsroom leaders who are looking to develop their management skills  

  • Aspiring leaders about to step into a role where they will manage a team 

  • Established leaders who want to refresh and solidify their approaches to team management 

Previous participants have come from organisations including AFP, Mediahuis, the BBC, The Financial Times, ZEIT Online, DPG, Radio Slovenija, OCCRP, and many others.  

Upcoming courses 

  • 16-17 October 2025
  • 29- 30 January 2026
  • 7-8 May 2026

Cost and registration 

Cost: £1,500 including lunch and a dinner at an Oxford University college (travel and accommodation not included) 

Registration: To apply for our Essential Skills for Newsroom Managers course please complete this form. 

 

What previous participants say 

It has been so useful to take a step back and have time to think about how my team works and how I can better manage them.
George Lindsay-Watson, Deputy Engagement and Innovation Editor, The Times and Sunday Times
 
I’ll bring some of the strategies to my own team and, more importantly, to my own mindset.
Lea Bayer, Head of ZEIT ONLINE Live
 
I really enjoyed the “leading with your legacy” part of the course. I hope it helps me find my purpose in the future. I also learned a lot about feedback culture, and I hope that helps me become a better leader. I want to thank the team involved in putting together this course, you really provided an amazing atmosphere.
Hannes Sude, Senior Manager, Sky Sports Planning
image/svg+xml Download our open admission courses brochure • 232kb
Other programmes
Invitation-only programmes  image/svg+xml image/svg+xml

Each year we host several invitation-only events for senior executives and editors. These include:

  • Editor-in-Chief and CEO Forum 

  • Public Service News Forum 

  • News Innovation Forum 

  • Digital News Forum 

  • Leading Climate-Focused Newsrooms 

Custom programmes   image/svg+xml image/svg+xml

We also create private bespoke leadership programmes for small, mid-size and global news organisations, for different stakeholders at all levels of seniority.  

We work with you to design, deliver and evaluate an executive education programme according to your organisation’s needs and strategic priorities.  

Previous organisations we worked with include the BBC, Dagens Nyheter, RFE/RL, the Daily Maverick, and Reuters News Agency.

Email Tania Montalvo for more information.

What previous participants say 

We have been collaborating with Reuters Institute for a long time, with different kinds of programs and seminars. This year, we have added a tailor-made, digital two-day seminar for our editors/middle managers regarding media trends, diversity and changing newsrooms. It was very valuable and highly appreciated by the group - and has led to important discussions and developments internally
Martin Jönsson, Head of Editorial Development, Dagens Nyheter, Sweden
 
A rare opportunity to custom-design a course for our newsroom leaders with RISJ. Insightful guest speakers and challenging topics sparked further work that continues today.
Styli Charalambous, CEO and co-founder, Daily Maverick
Relevant research

 

If you are interested in what we do and want to receive our weekly newsletter, join our mailing list in this link. 

Photos from previous sessions