UCLan appoints renowned international media strategist as mentor

2 September 2021

Dr Dietmar Schantin is latest media leader to support Journalism Innovation and Leadership Programme

Media strategist Dr Dietmar Schantin is the latest industry trailblazer to join the Journalism Innovation and Leadership (JIL) Programme team at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

Dietmar, who is well-known in the media industry for transforming traditional newsrooms into digital-centred organisations, will join the Board of Industry Advisors and Mentors for the JIL Programme to share his skills and knowledge with course participants.

As founder and Principal of IFMS Media Consultancy, a specialised media consultancy based in UK and Austria, Dietmar brings a wealth of experience with him to the role having worked with a range of media brands internationally including the Wall Street Journal, the Telegraph Media Group, the Handelsblatt Media Group and The Hindustani Times.

"Digital transformation is at the heart of our industry and I am looking forward to sharing my insights and having inspiring discussions with the students."

Media strategist and mentor for the JIL Programme at UCLan Dr Dietmar Schantin

Dietmar said: “After over 15 years of working with media companies around the world on planning and implementing digital strategies, I am very excited to be part of this programme as a mentor. Digital transformation is at the heart of our industry and I am looking forward to sharing my insights and having inspiring discussions with the students.”

Dietmar will join an already impressive line-up of senior executives at leading media companies who have pledged their support to the postgraduate course, which is supported by the Google News Initiative (GNI) and the Denmark-based development agency International Media Support (IMS).

The part-time, blended-learning programme aims to foster the next generation of diverse media leaders and innovators and offers participants the choice a one-year postgraduate certificate and a two-year MA.

"There are very good reasons why many of the world’s most forward-thinking media brands, large and small, have leaned on Dietmar to guide them through difficult territory: he's one of our industry’s sharpest thinkers, straightest talkers, and most successful implementers. "

Dr François Nel, Reader in Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UCLan and director of the JIL programme

Dr François Nel, Reader in Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UCLan and director of the JIL programme, said: “There are very good reasons why many of the world’s most forward-thinking media brands, large and small, have leaned on Dietmar to guide them through difficult territory: he's one of our industry’s sharpest thinkers, straightest talkers, and most successful implementers.

“We’re certainly delighted to have Dietmar on board to advise the course team and to coach our participants as they work on their Applied Learning Projects.”

Applications for the JIL Programme January 2022 intake are now open and 15 tuition-fee scholarships, supported by the Google News Initiative, are available to support exceptional candidates worldwide. Scholarship applications close on 30 October.

For application details see the UCLan website and for additional information contact the course leader and scholarship coordinator Dr François Nel.