MOOC on International Standards of Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists
In October, the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, in partnership with UNESCO, launched the third iteration of its Massive Multilingual Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on International Standards of Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists. The Bonavero Institute, a research centre within the Law Faculty, is directed to advancing high quality and impactful human rights research into emerging challenges in the protection of human rights globally and supporting the next generation of human rights scholars and practitioners.
The Course, which runs through the end of November, is free and available in the six official languages of the UN (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) as well as in Portuguese. It is open to judicial actors from all legal systems, journalists, academics, students and other professionals across the world, offering participants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of international standards on freedom of expression and legal protections for journalists.
The Course is comprised of a series of 5 weekly online modules that include written material, pre-recorded webinars convened by leading academics and short videos by prominent guest speakers, comprehension quizzes, and a learners’ forum for discussion. Guest speakers include former UN Special Rapporteurs as well as judges of regional human rights courts. The modules cover the general principles and scope of freedom of expression; the limitations of the right; the legal protection of the right of access to information; the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity; and challenges to freedom of expression and information arising from digitalisation, including the regulation of online speech.
To date, nearly 10,000 participants are enrolled in the Course, representing dozens of countries, including India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Russia, Egypt, Palestine, Yemen, France, Germany, the UK, and the US. The project is led by the Institute’s Programmes Manager & Research Fellow, Dr Eliza Bechtold, who researches in the area of freedom of expression, and Research Assistant Sameer Bhat, a DPhil candidate and Lecturer in Law at University College.
