Mercure Prishtina City Hotel, Pristina, Kosovo
25 – 30 August, 2025
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
19:00 – 21:00 Welcome Dinner (Hotel)
DAY 1
MONDAY, AUGUST 25
09:00 – 09:15 Welcome Remarks
Jeta Xharra – Director, BIRN Kosovo
Gentiana Murati – Deputy Director, BIRN Hub
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
09:15 – 11:00 The Investigative Mindset
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:15 The Investigative Mindset
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
12:15 – 13:15 Lunch Break
13:15 – 14:45 Masterclass in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) – Part I
Reade Levinson – Visual Investigations Reporter, Reuters News
14:45 – 15:00 Coffee Break
15:00 – 17:00 101 Cross Border Sources for Your Climate Investigation – How to Research Climate in Digital Age
Alexenia Dimitrova – Journalist, OSINT Expert, Lecturer in Journalism
17:00 – 18:00 Formulating Story Ideas: How to Structure Your Pitch
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner (Hotel)
DAY 2
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26
09:00 – 09:15 Wrapping Up Day 1
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
09:15 – 11:00 Masterclass in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) – Part II
Reade Levinson – Visual Investigations Reporter, Reuters News
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45 Masterclass in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) – Part II
Reade Levinson – Visual Investigations Reporter, Reuters News
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:15 Advanced Data Journalism – Part I
Jonathan Soma – Knight Chair in Data Journalism, Columbia Journalism School
15:15 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15:45 – 17:00 AI – Do’s and Don’ts
Jonathan Soma – Knight Chair in Data Journalism, Columbia Journalism School
17:00 – 18:00 Null Hypothesis – Pragmatic Digital Security for Journalists
Sharbil Nammour – Media Safety Advisor and Founder, Vallaris Solutions
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner (Hotel)
DAY 3
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27
09:00 – 09:15 Wrapping Up Day 2
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
09:15 – 11:00 Advanced Data Journalism – Part II
Jonathan Soma – Knight Chair in Data Journalism, Columbia Journalism School
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:30 Protest Ready: Security, First Aid & Digital Defense
Sharbil Nammour – Media Safety Advisor and Founder, Vallaris Solutions
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:00 BIRN Awarded Investigative Stories
Kreshnik Gashi – Managing Editor, Kallxo.com, BIRN Kosovo
Saša Dragojlo – Investigative Journalist, Balkan Insight, BIRN Hub
14:00 – 14:30 Travel to Kallxo Studio
14:30 – 16:30 From Exposure to Impact: Why Some Investigations Spark Change and Others Don’t
Jeta Xharra – Director, BIRN Kosovo
16:30 – 17:00 Travel to Germia Park
17:00 – 17:45 Stress, Burnout and Other Mental Health Hazards
Emma Thomasson – Journalist & Media Consultant, The Self Investigation
17:45 – 18:30 Improving Team Communication & Managing Conflict
Emma Thomasson – Journalist & Media Consultant, The Self Investigation
18:30 – 19:00 Return Travel to Hotel
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner (Hotel)
DAY 4
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
09:00 – 09:15 Focus on Learnings & Next Steps
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
09:15 – 10:45 Fact Checking
Milica Stojanović – Journalist & Fact-Checker, Balkan Insight, BIRN Hub
10:45 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 13:00 101 Open and Hidden Places to Investigate Your Country
Alexenia Dimitrova – Journalist, OSINT Expert, Lecturer in Journalism
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 14:45 Geolocation and Visual Investigation
Azem Kurtić – Journalist, Balkan Insight, BIRN Hub
14:45 – 15:00 Coffee Break
15:00 – 16:30 Challenges You are Facing (Roundtable Discussion)
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News Alexenia Dimitrova – Journalist, OSINT Expert, Lecturer in Journalism
16:30 – 17:30 The Art of Interview
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
17:30 – 18:30 Faces of the Summer School: Session with the Photographer
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner (Hotel)
DAY 5
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
09:00 – 09:15 Wrap up and What’s Next
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
09:15 – 10:45 What We Expect to Hear Tomorrow
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
Saša Dragojlo – Investigative Journalist, Balkan Insight, BIRN Hub
Gordana Andrić – Investigative Editor, BIRN Hub & BIRN Serbia
10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:00 Developing Complex Databases with Thousands of Documents
Ana Petruseva – Director, BIRN Macedonia
12:00 – 13:00 Reporting Safely: Legal Considerations, Case Illustrations, and SLAPP Insights
Kreshnik Gashi – Managing Editor, Kallxo.com, BIRN Kosovo
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30 Reporting in Times of Crisis – War Crimes Reporting
Denis Džidić – Director, BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina
15:30 – 16:30 Free Time (Prepare for Ceremony)
16:30 – 17:30 Travel to Reporting House
17:30 – 18:15 Tour of BIRN Museum Reporting House
18:30 – 19:00 Panel – Investigative Journalism: Two Decades of Change (Reporting House)
Ana Petruseva – BIRN Founder & BIRN Macedonia Director
Jeta Xharra – BIRN Founder & BIRN Kosovo Director
Dragana Solomon – BIRN Founder
Moderator: Denis Džidić – BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina Director
19:00 – 19:30 Certificate Awarding Ceremony & Remarks (Reporting House Yard)
19:30 – 22:00 Reception with Light Gala Fare (Reporting House Yard)
22:00 – 22:30 Return Travel to Hotel
DAY 6
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
10:00 – 13:00 Pitching Stories
Blake Morrison – Lead Trainer, Investigative Projects Editor, Reuters News
Saša Dragojlo – Investigative Journalist, Balkan Insight, BIRN Hub
Gordana Andrić – Investigative Editor, BIRN Hub & BIRN Serbia
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (Hotel)
14:00 – 15:30 Travel to Prizren
15:30 – 18:00 City Tour with Guide & Free Time
18:00 – 20:00 Dinner (Prizren)
20:00 – 21:30 Travel to Pristina
DAY 7
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
Departure