Monash University launches Fellowships to champion constructive journalism across Asia Pacific

Monash University will launch a Constructive Institute Asia Pacific Fellowship program, commencing in 2026, for media professionals committed to a solutions-focused approach to reporting.

Modeled on the highly successful Constructive Institute Fellowship in Denmark, Monash will offer fully-funded one-month intensive fellowships for 14 leading journalists and news changemakers to come together to design the future of news, through a constructive lens. 

The inaugural Fellowship program is set to be announced at the official launch of the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific Hub, where Director Kate Torney will lead a panel of experts to discuss the future of news and the role of journalism in countering misinformation, and addressing news fatigue and news avoidance.

Professor Kate Torney, Director of the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific Hub, said the program will foster bold thinking, rigorous debate and meaningful connection. 

“In an era marked by deepening global division and democratic uncertainty, journalism has a vital role to play. The Fellowship is a rare and urgent opportunity for a group of the region’s leading journalists to explore the impact of a constructive approach to news coverage – one that is grounded in solutions, complexity and meaningful dialogue. Fellows will collaborate, reflect and reimagine the future of news through a constructive lens,” Professor Torney said.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Katie Stevenson, said the Fellowships present a vital opportunity for the news sector in Australia, Asia and the Pacific to foster greater integrity in journalism while countering misinformation and polarisation.

“The launch of the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific will give journalists the support they need to build trust, deepen democratic dialogue and foster a more informed and engaged public discourse. Through these Fellowships, Monash University will partner with the news sector to equip media professionals with the tools to lead change and bring constructive principles back into newsrooms,” Professor Stevenson said.

The Constructive Institute Asia Pacific Hub will build on the work of the Constructive Institute in Denmark, generating region-specific data and insights, tailored to the diverse audiences and media landscapes of Australia, Asia and the Pacific.

The panel discussion will take place at the State Library of Victoria from 6.30pm on Monday 16 September. Professor Torney will lead a discussion with panellists Editorial Director of The Australian Claire Harvey, political editor and international editor of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Peter Hartcher, and ABC Head of Regional, Rural and Metro News, Donna Field.

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