IIJ director leads lectures, consultations in Kazakhstan

By Lindsay Boyle

On April 22, Institute for International Journalism Director Yusuf Kalyango embarked on a 13-day academic trip to Kazakhstan.

Each weekday, Kalyango led two 90-minute lectures and one 90-minute consultation in the Faculty of Journalism at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, more commonly known as KazNU, in Almaty. Attendees included undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty members.

Kalyango’s lectures were incorporated into the Role of Televised (Visual) Media and Democratization (TV News) course, and included topics such as improving story telling in television packages, global news coverage, and reporting conflicts on television.

The consultations were in regard to the course High Education, Professional Development and Research Opportunities in the USA. They covered areas including the future of journalism in the digital age and how to go from research concept to publication.



On the final Friday, May 3, Kalyango also held a workshop: Teaching and Grading with Multimedia Online Tools in Classrooms and Seminars.

KazNU Rector Dr. Mutanov Galimkair Mutanovich and OU President Dr. Roderick J. McDavis recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two schools.

The Vice Dean of the Faculty of Journalism, Karlyga Myssayeva, welcomed Kalyango at KazNU and took charge of his academic schedule and extracurricular activities. Karlyga Myssayeva is an alumna of the 2012 Study of the U.S. Institute at Ohio University. Kalyango’s lectures and consultations at KazNu were part of the IIJ-SUSI post-Institute activities.



The SUSI summer institute is funded by an annual renewable grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Study of the U.S. Branch in the Office of Academic Exchange Programs. Scholars from all over the world come to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University to be exposed to journalism practice and media institutions in the United States.

In his free time, Kalyango traveled around the country with Myssayeva and others. He had dinners full of Kazakh traditional foods, visited Astana — the capital of Kazakhstan, ventured into Kok-Tobe — the highest point of Almaty, and explored other attractions offered by the city of Almaty.

He also attended the 2013 Miss Kazakh National University pageant, and watched classical and modern ballet as well as comical shows at theaters including the Modern Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Abay.

IIJ to hold fourth consecutive SUSI summer program

By Lindsay Boyle

This summer, the Institute for International Journalism administers the fourth annual Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) on Journalism and Media.

The SUSI summer institute — in which scholars from all over the world come to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University to study journalism and media — is funded by an annual renewable grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Study of the U.S. Branch in the Office of Academic Exchange Programs.

Following the 2012 conclusion of three successful programs held in Athens — where more than 50 scholars from more than 40 countries attended numerous sessions covering an array of media-related topics, visited various media outlets and garnered several cultural experiences — the U.S. State Department renewed the program for the IIJ, meaning that this summer’s program is the first of three more.



Sixteen scholars are participating this year, from the following countries: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Romania, Ukraine, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

They will travel near and far, being immersed in diverse cultural and media environments. Destinations include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, The Budget newspaper in Amish Country, Google headquarters in San Francisco, CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., and many more.

Additionally, daylong excursions, such as the Tecumseh! Outdoor Historical Drama in Chillicothe or the Little Cities of Black Diamonds tour that spans multiple towns in Southeast Ohio, allow the scholars to further understand the region.



Sessions held in Athens will continue to cover topics such as electronic and new media, media systems in scholars’ countries and the role of news in a democracy, generating intriguing discussions and evoking thoughtful and lasting reactions.

Overall, the purpose of SUSI is to foster mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and citizens of other countries around the world.

The program will conclude after the scholars spend nine days in Washington, D.C., including three full days at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) conference.