Achilles Data is a two-month course for aspiring journalists and media students from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. The aim of the program is to familiarize participants with the basic tools, current trends, and in-depth methods of modern investigative journalism.
The course is free of charge for successful candidates, and the Bakala Foundation covers costs associated with participation in the training (course fee, travel, accommodation).
Applications to the 7th iteration of the program are now open! (The deadline is October 1, 2023.)
The Course
- This course accepts 3- to 5-member teams of students. (Exceptions are possible. The organizer reserves the right to form teams of registered individuals).
- Teams first undergo a three-day series of workshops held between November 2 and 4, 2023, in Prague.
- This is followed by a practical part, during which students work in teams on real investigative cases. Each team is assigned a mentor, whom the students consult with for the duration of the course. Regular meetings of the team with their mentor usually happen at the place of their study, online or as agreed within the team.
- Teams submit their final project by mid January 2024; it usually consists of an article, interview, and infographics.
- The course ends with a final meeting (expected date: February 2024) during which the best project is chosen and participants receive certificates of participation and a written evaluation of their work from the jury.
2022 Program Mentors
Jana Ustohalová (Deník N)
David Klimeš (Aktuálně.cz)
Tereza Engelová (HlidaciPes.org)
Zuzana Petková (Stop Corruption Foundation)
Xénia Makarová (Stop Corruption Foundation)
Lukáš Diko (Ján Kuciak Investigative Centre)
Michal Šverdík (Olomoucká Drbna)
2022 Program Speakers
Jan Boček (Czech Radio)
Jan Cibulka (Czech Radio)
Lukáš Diko (Ján Kuciak Investigative Centre)
Justin Elliott (ProPublica)
Anna Gielewska (Fundacja Reporterow)
Tomáš Němeček
Jan Žabka (HlidaciPes.org)
The course is organized by the Bakala Foundation, the Czech Centre for Investigative Journalism, and the Stop Corruption Foundation, with the kind support of the U.S. Embassy in the Czech Republic.