WAN-IFRA launches NextGen AI Leaders Programme for emerging newsroom managers
This 12-week initiative gives young media leaders and first-time managers the skills to succeed
– 1 min read
WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, has announced the NextGen AI Leaders Programme — a 12-week, tuition-free initiative aimed at equipping young media leaders and first-time managers with the skills to drive responsible AI adoption in newsrooms. Backed by the Google News Initiative, the programme targets 24 rising executives aged 25–40 from small, mid-sized, and local news organisations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Participants will engage in a mix of live and online sessions, tackling real-world management challenges and building AI fluency through mentorship and hands-on coursework. The programme is designed to close the innovation gap between large, well-funded newsrooms and their smaller counterparts, while fostering a diverse new generation of media leadership.
Applications are open from 25 February to 15 March 2026, with the first cohort beginning on 14 April at WAN-IFRA’s Frankfurt AI Forum. Graduates will develop AI prototypes and workflows to implement in their own newsrooms, and will have the chance to attend the World News Media Congress in Marseille this June.
This article was drafted by an AI assistant before it was edited by a human.
Written by
Jacob Granger is the community editor of JournalismUK