Twenty senior news executives from eight countries — including first-time representation from Brazil, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates — have joined the 2026 cohort of the Journalism Innovation and Leadership (JILeaders) Programme at the University of Lancashire.

Now in its sixth year in its current format, JILeaders brings together editors, newsroom leaders, and media innovators from across four continents to tackle the strategic, economic, and societal challenges reshaping journalism.

The programme is a part-time, distance-learning postgraduate leadership pathway, designed for working professionals. Participants can progress from a Postgraduate Certificate to a Master’s degree, and ultimately to a unique PhD by Portfolio, focused on generating insights for action through applied, practice-based research.

Rather than a traditional taught course, JILeaders is deliberately structured as a learning community — connecting participants, alumni, mentors, academics, and industry partners around shared challenges, experimentation, and long-term professional development.

Tuition-fee scholarships for the 2026 cohort are funded by Arc XP (The Washington Post), Bright Sites, Chrysalis Transformations, FT Strategies, the Journalists’ Charity, The Media Lab (Jordan), and Tickaroo, whose support extends beyond funding to include strategic insight, mentoring, and active engagement with the programme.

Founded and led by Dr François Nel, Reader in Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship, JILeaders builds on more than two decades of journalism leadership research and education at Lancashire. François was named Lecturer of the Year at the Students’ Union Golden Roses Awards in 2024 and shortlisted for the Postgraduate Support Award in 2025.

Professor Peter Lloyd RE, Dean of the School of Arts and Media at the University of Lancashire, said: “Journalism leaders are navigating unprecedented pressure — from rapid technological change to growing expectations around trust and accountability.

“What sets JILeaders apart is its focus on leadership as a practice. It gives experienced professionals the space to step back, learn from global peers, and develop the strategic confidence needed to lead change responsibly.

That blend of academic rigour and real-world relevance is central to Lancashire’s long-standing commitment to impactful journalism education.”

Lisa MacLeod, Chair of the JILeaders Board of Industry Advisors and Director at FT Strategies, said: “JILeaders is not a short course or a quick fix. It is a sustained investment in people who are already shaping news organisations.

“The programme creates a rare space for leaders to think more deeply about strategy, culture, and sustainability — and to learn from experts and peers facing similar challenges in very different contexts.

That sense of community and long-term perspective is why industry continues to support it.”

Based in Preston, the University of Lancashire is home to the oldest university journalism programme in England — a tradition that continues to shape journalism education nationally and internationally.

Today, journalism at Lancashire remains among the very best in the UK, most recently ranking No. 1 for Student Satisfaction in the National Student Survey, No. 2 in the Daily Mail University Guide, and No. 4 in the Guardian University Guide, reflecting both its heritage and its continued relevance to the future of the profession.

The Journalism Innovation and Leadership (JILeaders) Programme class of 2026

Camilla Bath, Programme director at World Press Institute.

Rebecca Carey, Head of central digital content for all titles at Newsquest.

Marcelo Crispim da Fontoura, Professor and digital news project manager.

Jennifer Hale, Head of Live for two Scottish newsrooms.

Khadar Hared, Communications officer for the World Health Organisation- Somalia.

Sipho Kings, Publisher and co-founder of The Continent newspaper.

Nicola Leech, Head of audience at The National in the UAE.

Brenda Leonard, Station manager at Bush Radio, Cape Town.

Autumn Lewis, Social media strategist at DC Thomson.

Wynand Louw, Head of creative and content of POP24 at Media24.

Amaka Obioji, Founder and managing editor of Diaspora Africa.

Protus Onyango, Award-winning environmental journalist at Standard Media Group in Kenya.

Jerusha Raath, Publisher for News24.

Steve Sampson, Author and news editor at TradeWinds, published by DN Media, Norway.

Fardowsa Sheik Abdirahman, Journalist for the BBC Somali Service.

Kate Sherman, Head of marketing at Tickaroo.

Hannah Storm, A resilience mentor, storyteller and safety expert.

Karen Thorne, Station manager of Cape Town TV.

Tristan Werkmeister, The EMEA social video strategy lead for Reuters.

Zasha Whiteway-Wilkinson, Freelance digital journalist.

More information about the Journalism Innovation and Leadership Programme is available on the University’s website or by emailing the team.