Heinz P. Wassermann studied Economics, History, Philosophy, Psychology and Pedagogy at Karl Franzens University Graz. He holds a diploma from Austrian History and social philosophy (1991) and a PhD form Austrian and Contemporary History (1999). He is currently Associate Professor at the Institute for Journalism and Digital Communication at FH JOANNEUM / University of Applied Sciences in Graz and conducts research on contemporary history and media history as well as political science topics.

Dr. Tsvetelina Dzhambazova is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communicaton, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Sofia University and a Master’s degree in Sports Journalism from Sofia University. In 2021 she became a PhD candidate in the professional field of Public Communications and Information Sciences (Media and Communications – Media Discourse – Generic Models), defending her dissertation on the topic of “The “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” Movements – an Attempt to Redefine Social Roles in Contemporary Society (Media Presentations in English Language Publications 2017 – 2018)”. Author of 10 scientific publications. Her research interests are in the fields of international journalism, press journalism, sociology, and international public law.

Dr. Maya Stoyanova is a Chief Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia, Bulgaria. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in graphic design, communication design, web design, and book design. Her research interests and publications are in the fields of graphic communication, visual literacy, typography, and the application of artificial intelligence to generate and modify visual content.

Maya Stoyanova holds a PhD in Public Communications and Information Sciences (Journalism – Graphic Design) from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, 2015. She has a Master’s degree in Visual Communication – Graphic Design from New Bulgarian University, 2007 and a Master’s degree in Bulgarian Philology from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 2004.

She speaks Bulgarian (native), English and Russian.

Prof. Dr. Vesselina Valkanova is the Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Bulgaria, media researcher and expert.

The topics in Prof. Valkanova’s scientific research and in her lecture courses include the main fields of theory, diachronic development and culture of the media, visual communication, as well as its environment: there are issues dedicated to the transformations of the media into digital environment, of quality journalism and the digital turn.

Prof. Valkanova is a member of a number of international editorial boards of scientific journals, she is Editor-in-Chief of the Annual of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication; member of the editorial board of “Annals of Journalism and Mass Communication”, “Postmodernism Problems” and others. Prof. Dr. Vesselina Valkanova has participated in dozens of national and international scientific projects and conferences.

Manuela Manliherova is an Associate Professor of journalism at Sofia University. She teaches radio, media content management, and media and PR for discipline European Studies. With over 17 years of experience Manuela has worked in various radio stations, including Radio France International, where she worked on all aspects of the daily life of Europeans as a part of the program “Accents d’Europe”.

She has also appeared as a consultant for UNICEF about communication media strategy. She enjoys using her skills to be involved in educational initiatives devoted to innovative practices, sustainable development, green media content and children’s issues. She is one of the trainers for educational activities at Climateka.bg and AEJ.

For four years Manuela Manliherova serves as a member of the Board of European Journalism Training Association (EJTA). In addition, Manuela contributes to several international media projects as “Europe on Air”,EU Factchecking , powered by EJTA, “Artists of Mechelen” etc.

Prof. Dr. Zrinjka Peruško, MAE, is full professor of sociology of media and communication at the Department of Media and Communication, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb. Peruško is member of the Academia Europaea Section for Film, Media and Visual studies. She is founding chair of the Centre for Media and Communication Research at the University of Zagreb and founding co-director of the Comparative Media Systems international post-graduate spring course at the Interuniversity Centre (Dubrovnik). She leads the Croatian team in the EU HORIZON 2020 project MEDIADELCOM and has cooperated in or led a number of research projects funded by UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the Open Society Foundation as well as the EU COST networks. Her latest book Comparing Post-socialist Media Systems: the Case of Southeast Europe (Routledge 2021, with Dina Vozab and Antonija Čuvalo) was shortlisted for the Karol Jakubowitz Media and Democracy Prize and has received the Croatian Science Prize.

Zrinjka Peruško contributed as lead researcher to the MOOC COPE in the Croatian language version.

Paula Čatipović is a doctoral student at the Faculty of Political Science, where she studies in the field of Media and Politics. At the Faculty of Political Science, she teaches seminar classes in Communication Studies to undergraduate students. She also does freelance work focused on moderating events and PR projects. She completed propaedeutics of psychotherapy at the Edward Bernays University of Applied Sciences and introductory training in Transactional Analysis (TA 101). She is a lecturer at the Zagreb Center for Youth, where she deals with subjects of mental health and young people. Sheis also one of the four ambassador in Zagreb included in the project “Youth in Croatia active around the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)” for the Center for Social Innovation, with the support of the Central State Office for Demography and Youth and in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. She contributed as a researcher to the MOOC COPE in the Croatian language version.

Dimitra L. Milioni, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in media studies at the Cyprus University of Technology and currently the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies. She has published on topics relating to media, audiences, journalism, communication technologies and social and political conflict. Her research interests include alternative and participatory media, protest and social movements, audience participation and critical data/algorithm studies.

Paschalia (Lia) Spyridou is an Assistant Professor in Journalism and Media studies at the Cyprus University of Technology. She holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Media from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an MA in Communication from the University of Westminster. She received her PhD in Journalism and New Media from the Aristotle University, and she was awarded a postdoctoral scholarship for her work on participatory journalism. Her research interests lie in the field of digital journalism studies with an emphasis on how new technologies impact news production and shape politics and democracy. Lia has participated in various research projects, and currently she is coordinating the H2020 DEMOTEC project.

Lenka Waschková Císařová works as an Associate Professor at the Department of Media Studies and Journalism, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Her teaching and research focus on local media, media ownership, and the transition of media markets. She is editor of the book Voice of the Locality: Local Media and Local Audience; the author of a monograph on Czech local media developments; and the author of several journal articles and book chapters on related topics.

E-mail: cisarova@fss.muni.cz

Orcid number: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3307-0801

Klára Smejkal is a PhD student at the Department of Media Studies and Journalism at Masaryk University in Brno. Her main areas of research are trust in media, fragmented media environment, polarization of society, and the influence of populism on trust in media. In her dissertation, she focuses on audiences of public service media in a fragmented media environment.

Mr. Per Oesterlund is an experienced journalist, development communicator, and journalism trainer. He has worked as reporter, studio presenter and sub-editor in the radio and TV divisions of the Danish Broadcasting cooperation for 15 years. Since 1993 he has developed training materials and trained journalists in Europe, Africa, The Middle East, and Asia. He is the owner and director of the consultancy company Danicom (www.danicom.net), which was originally a department of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.

Halliki Harro-Loit is a Professor of Journalism at the University of Tartu. She obtained her PhD in Political Sciences from the University of Oslo, Norway, in 2001. She has published more than 100 scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes and has authored and (co)edited 8 books. Currently she is co-ordinating the Horizon 2020 Mediadelcom grant. She has been the grant holder and principal investigator of 15 research and development grants; She was the Head of the Institute of Social Studies, (University of Tartu) in 2000 – 2010 and 2013–2016, in 2008–2015 she was leading a research group of cultural communication at the Centre of Excellence in Cultural Theory (University of Tartu). Her current research interests include temporal analysis of journalistic discourse, comparative analysis of journalism cultures, journalism and communication ethics and law, media policy; discourse analysis and interpersonal communication.

Heikki Heikkilä is a tenure track Professor in Journalism Studies at Tampere University. His research interests pertain to audiences, digital journalism, theories of public sphere and privacy. He has been involved in EU funded projects on EU journalism (AIM), media accountability (MediaAcT), and dialogic ethics (Diacomet).

Marianna Langenoja is a doctoral candidate in Journalism Studies at Tampere University. Her research interest is research method teaching. She has worked as a journalist for many years and created several academic moocs as a part of a larger team.

Jari Väliverronen (M. Soc. Sc.) is University Instructor in Journalism at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences at Tampere University, Finland. He began his career as a journalist in the early 2000s, writing in Finnish and English for many online and print media outlets – for example, Finland’s biggest daily Helsingin Sanomat. For the past 15 years, he has been working in the academia. As a journalism educator, he has convened several practical journalism courses for BA and MA level students at Tampere University. As a researcher, he has worked for Tampere University and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and as a visiting scholar at Fudan University in China. He has taken part in multiple comparative research projects, such as MediaAcT, Journalism in the BRICS Countries, and The Worlds of Journalism Study. His ongoing PhD project focuses on changes in Finnish political journalism in the 2010s.

Céline Ségur is a Professor of Sciences de l’information et de la communication (Communication sciences) and head of the master’s degree in Journalism at the Université de Lorraine (Metz, France). She is a member of the Centre de recherche sur les médiations (http://crem.univ-lorraine.fr). She dedicates much of her research to media, television, audiences, and publics, (dis)information.

Recent publications:

Ségur C., 2022. Le tournant participatif de la télévision et de ses publics. Une révolution enchantée, Document original présenté pour le dossier d’habilitation à diriger des recherches, Université de Lorraine. https://hal.science/tel-03556414/

Ségur C., 2022. How has the study of television audiences in the field of information and communication sciences evolved conceptually?, in : Fleury B., Walter J., eds., Understanding publics. Theories, practices, transformations, Peter Lang (12 p.).

Ségur C., ed., 2020. French Perspectives on Media, Participation and Audiences, Cham, Éd. Palgrave Mac Millan, série « Cultural, Media and Communication Studies », 205 p.

Dr. Gábor Polyák works as a professor for media law and media policy and as the head of the Media and Communication Department of the Eötvös Loránd University. He also works for the Institute for Legal Studies of the Centre for Social Sciences as a senior research fellow. Further, he is researcher of Mertek Media Monitor, a Hungarian NGO dealing with media policy issues. He was research fellow at the University of Münster, Institute for Information, Telecommunication and Media Law from 2014 to 2016. His educational background includes law and media studies at the University of Pécs, Master of Laws degree in ICT law at the University of Vienna, PhD degree and habilitation at the University of Pécs. He teaches and does research in the fields of media law, IT law, media policy. In 2020, he was awarded by the Voltaire Prize for Tolerance, International Understanding and Respect for Differences of the University Potsdam. His last books are Medienpolitik in Osteuropa. Theoretischer Rahmen und mediale Praxis (Berlin: B & S Siebenhaar Verlag, 2018); Algoritmusok, keresők, közösségi oldalak és a jog – A forgalomirányító szolgáltatások szabályozása [Algorithms, Search Engines, Social Media – Regulation of Intermediaries] (Budapest: HVG-Orac, 2020).

Dr Fergal Quinn has been a lecturer in Broadcast Journalism at University of Limerick, Ireland since 2014. He is the co-editor of two books: How to Read Economic News: A Critical Approach to Economic Journalism (2023) and News Discourse and Power: Critical Perspectives on Journalism and Inequality (2021). He is acting course director for the Professional Diploma in Data Communications in UL.

Prior to his career in academia, he worked for over a decade as a print and multimedia journalist with RTÉ, The Cambodia Daily, The Irish Times and Longford Leader and completed his doctorate titled Building cities on sand: the normative basis for journalism in Cambodia with Dublin City University.

Research interests include: representation of minorities and societal inequality in journalism output; comparative journalism ethics; journalism training paradigms, particularly in developing world and post-conflict environments; risk communication

Christian Ruggiero is an Associate Professor in Sociology of Cultural and Communicative Processes at the Department of Communication and Social Research, Sapienza University of Rome. His main research interests concern political communication, with particular attention to the role of the media in electoral campaigns, and sociology of journalism, with particular attention to the evolution of the journalists’ profession and the interplay between legacy and social media.

As a member of the Euromedia Research Group, he has been the Scientific Coordinator of the Research Unit of Sapienza University of Rome for the “Euromedia Ownership Monitor-EurOMo” connect Pilot Project year 1: Media Ownership Monitor. Lead partner: Paris-Lodron Universität Salzburg (Austria). The Project’s output includes a searchable database with information on ownership and control of the most relevant news media in all 27 EU countries and a media literacy toolkit in eight EU languages for teaching media ownership and control in schools to students aged 16 to 18.

Emma Garzonio is a PhD Candidate in Communication, Marketing and Social Research at the Communication and Social Research department of La Sapienza University of Rome.

Her research focus on online political communication, algorithmic media regulation and digital campaign within the EU framework.  Her published works discuss ISP and SNS liability for automated data processing; AI and disinformation; social media, representation, and visual political communication.

She is a member of the Research unit EuPoliS, “Transnational political participation, representation and sovereignty in the European project”, and participated as researcher in international monitoring projects, such as the European Elections Monitoring Center (EEMC) project in 2019; the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) in 2020, and the Euromedia Ownership Monitor in 2022.

Laura Valentini is a PhD student in Communication, Marketing and Social Research at the Communication and Social Research Department of Sapienza University of Rome.

Her research focuses mostly on the impact of Internet trends and social media on public debate, especially on the usage and propagation of Internet Memes. Her interests also include the future of journalism in the digital and AI era, the impact of conspiracy theories on political discourse, gender-related issues, and European Union public communication tactics and strategies.

She is a member of the Italian Research unit of the Euromedia Ownership Monitor since 2022.

Anastasija Tetarenko-Supe is a lecturer and researcher in the Faculty of Social Sciences of University of Latvia, as well as professional journalist and editor in national information agency LETA. Tetarenko-Supe is a PhD candidate in communication science, her research interests are related to political communication, securitization, political journalism. She is teaching courses related to journalism and communication theories for bachelor students. Tetarenko-Supe participates in several research projects – both academic and related to the media industry.

Marita Zitmane is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Latvia, where she teaches courses on gender and media, advertising, and consumer culture. She has been a Marie Sklodowska-Curie ITN fellow. She is interested in gender representation in media and in advertising. Her work examines how the media has shaped the notion of gender roles in post-Soviet society and how past notions of gender roles shape contemporary gender equality discourse. She is an author of several publications on gender representation in media and has participated in international conferences on Gender and Women’s studies. She also serves as a gender equality expert and has an extensive experience providing an expertise in the field of gender equality. Marita Zitmane has been involved as a national gender equality expert in projects by European Institute of Gender Equality, etc. As a researcher she is also interested in the advertising and consumer culture research. She is author of several publications and has participated in international conferences analysing advertising industry’s processes in Latvia and has both participated and led research projects focussing on consumer culture.

Kristina Juraitė, Ph.D., is a professor and head of the Department of Public Communications at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania. She is a co-founder of the UNESCO Chair on Media and Information Literacy for Inclusive Knowledge Societies at VMU and a member of the UNESCO MIL Allience, UNESCO-UNAOC MILID Network, the Media Council of Lithuania, other international research networks, professional associations, expert groups and editorial boards. Her research interests include digital media ecosystem and social change, communication ethics and accountability, mediatization and democratization, media and information literacy, digital resilience and civic agency, cultural communication and participation, public and media discourses, comparative media research and visual studies. Kristina is a national coordinator in MOOC COPE project.

Rimgailė Kasparaitė is a Ph.D. candidate in Communication and Information Sciences at Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania. With a keen dedication to academic pursuits, she is a junior researcher at both the Baltic Research Foundation for Digital Resilience and the Baltic Engagement Centre for Combating Information Disorders. Her master’s research in Journalism delved into co-governance strategies aimed at enhancing digital resilience-a subject of critical significance in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape. Rimgaile’s research interests extend across several key areas, encompassing digital communication and media ethics, information disorders and digital resilience, media policy, and communication contexts and cultures.

Johannes Pause is a research scientist specializing in film and media studies and the deputy programme director of the Bachelor in Animation at the University of Luxembourg. After being awarded a PhD by the Freie Universität Berlin in 2008, Johannes held positions as a research associate in Gießen, Trier, and Dresden. In 2016, he was appointed interim Professor of Media Studies at the University of Mannheim. The principal areas covered in his research include Populism and Popular Culture, Knowledge and Education in the Post-Digital Age, Algorithmic Cultures, and the Politics of (Hollywood) Cinema. His most recent publication is Populismus und Kino. Politische Repräsentation im Hollywood der 1930er Jahre (Bielefeld: transcript 2023).

After graduating in Media Studies with a specialisation on documentary film at the University of Siegen, Sascha Helsper  started his career in the media sector in Luxembourg as freelancer filmmaker becoming the Head of operations at a multilingual TV channel. Helsper returned to the academic world at the University of Luxembourg, where he manages the MEDIACentre where, among other activities, audiovisual projects with different types of output are produced, such as  the production of e-learning assets or storytelling projects. Helsper is a lecturer, specialised on courses related to different aspects of the media-world and with connections to external media stakeholders in Luxembourg.

Sascha Helsper´s overall passion is to connect the wide field of media practice with media studies and research in order to promote transdisciplinary approaches in academia.

Dr Fergal Quinn has been a lecturer in Broadcast Journalism at University of Limerick, Ireland since 2014. He is the co-editor of two books: How to Read Economic News: A Critical Approach to Economic Journalism (2023) and News Discourse and Power: Critical Perspectives on Journalism and Inequality (2021). He is acting course director for the Professional Diploma in Data Communications in UL.

Prior to his career in academia, he worked for over a decade as a print and multimedia journalist with RTÉ, The Cambodia Daily, The Irish Times and Longford Leader and completed his doctorate titled Building cities on sand: the normative basis for journalism in Cambodia with Dublin City University.

Research interests include: representation of minorities and societal inequality in journalism output; comparative journalism ethics; journalism training paradigms, particularly in developing world and post-conflict environments; risk communication

Danielle Arets is professor of the research group Designing Journalism at Fontys University of Applied Sciences/ School of Journalism Tilburg. In the research group approx. 15 journalism researchers, designers, and AI engineers in close collaboration with media outlets –  are co-creating the future of journalism. The focus is on digital developments, new forms of public engagement, and developing immersive storytelling and work forms.

Marije Arentze is a Dutch expert on Eastern Europe and disinformation, with experience in journalistic innovation and social entrepreneurship. Graduated in European Studies at the University of Amsterdam, she focuses on Russian disinformation and interventions against on-line manipulation. She is a researcher and lecturer at the Fontys Hogeschool of Journalism, where she teaches courses on innovation and cybersecurity.

Tim Outshoorn is a Dutch philosopher and journalist living in Tilburg. He has written about queer family structures and organizes philosophical talks about current events. He works as a bartender in his spare time.

Zoran Bogdanovic is an (investigative) journalist who works for the Dutch newspaper Trouw and has published for Dutch national media as NRC and De Groene Amsterdammer and Brabants Dagblad. In his work, he focuses on a broad range of societal issues: mental health, climate change and online radicalization. He also works as a lecturer and researcher at Fontys Academy of Journalism in Tilburg and is currently writing a book on sixty years of migrant labour in The Netherlands.

Andrej Školkay is a research director of School of Communication and Media, Bratislava, Slovakia. He has been a leader of the national research teams under H2020 Projects COMPACT (CSA-2017–2021), DEMOS (RIA—2017–2022), FP7 Projects MEDIADEM (2010–2013), and ANTICORRP (2013–2017), and Media Plurality Monitor (2015). He has written widely on media and politics, ethics, media regulation, populism, and media law.

Maria Hong, a program and project manager, brings to COPE a decade of experience in the localization and internationalization industry within top Silicon Valley companies. With an M.A. in political science from Comenius University, she served as an advisor at the prime minister’s office of Slovakia, then ventured to the US as a foreign correspondent, where she later transitioned into roles within the tech industry. Maria finds fulfillment in mentoring young professionals and contributing to the empowerment of women in financial literacy. Maria is contributing as a researcher to the MOOC related to the Slovak language.

Veronika Vass-Vigh is a policy analyst from Slovakia, currently based in Hungary. She holds an M.A. in political science from Comenius University in Bratislava. In addition, she holds an M.A. in political science with specialization in political economy from the Central European University in Budapest. She has professional experience working on the analysis of projects and initiatives funded through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). Her primary focus lies within the realms of social and family policy and the labor market. Veronika is contributing as a researcher to the MOOC related to Slovak translations and local windows.

Jasmina Jakomin – MA in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Central European University. She is a specialist in project management of EU-funded projects. She is the Head of the Project Office at SASS since 2016 and worked on different programmes: Interreg Central Europe, Adrion, Danube Transnational Programme, Erasmus+ mobility in HEI with programme and partner countries, Jean Monnet actions (Chair, Centre of Excellence, Module), Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education, Capacity Building in the Field of Youth, KA2 in the Field of Adult Education etc. Previously she worked on the development of the curriculum in the frame of the JUST project (Erasmus+ KA2).

Matevž Tomšič is a political sociologist and Professor at the School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica. He also works at the Faculty of Information Studies in Novo Mesto, and Study Centre for National Reconciliation. He obtained PhD in Sociology from the University of Ljubljana based on a national grant. He was a visiting professor at higher education institutions in USA, Ireland, Hungary, Romania, Czechia and Lebanon. His research interests include political elites and political leadership, quality of governance, political culture, Europeisation, media pluralism, democratisation, and development of societies from Central and Eastern Europe. Among others, he published a book Elites in the New Democracies (Peter Lang, 2016). He is also co-author of the book The Challenges of Sustained Development (Central European University Press, 2005).

Rok Bratina is a teaching assistant, PhD student, project associate and researcher at the School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica. His teaching and research interests are in the field of social trends, and he is particularly interested in sports and media. Regarding the latter, it is worth highlighting the experience and knowledge he gained during the Erasmus+ project MELIA Observatory, touching upon media literacy and its relevance for democracy in the EU. At the same time, he was also active in the Error404 project, which aimed to create a platform for interactive learning of relevant digital content.

Petra Kleindienst is Vice-dean for Study and Student Affairs and an Associate Professor for the field of sociology and law at the School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica, Slovenia. In 2018, she obtained her PhD degree in sociology with a thesis titled “The Role of Educational System for the Development of Democratic Political Culture”. On the research level, her focus is especially on the topics of human dignity, political culture, and educational system. In the last few years, she has published several quality scientific papers in the fields of education, law, and sociology. She is participating in national, bilateral and international research projects as well as international scientific conferences. In 2020, she gained a postdoctoral fellowship with a project titled “Strengthening Democratic State Governed by the Rule of Law through Realization of Human Dignity in Judicial Procedures”.

Aleix Martí Danés is a PhD student in the Department of Communication of UPF. He holds a degree in Political Science and Administration from Pompeu Fabra University, a Master’s in Political Marketing, Strategies and Political Communication from ICPS – UAB and a Master’s in Public Management from the School of Public Administration of Catalonia. Postgraduate in Data Analysis for Social Science from the UB – Riskcenter.

He has been the coordinator of the Ideograma-UPF Chair in Political Communication and Democracy since 2020. He teaches as an associate professor in the Department of Communication at UPF and in the Master in Political and Institutional Communication at UPF-BSM. He is also an external collaborator of Verificat.

His research interests are political communication and public opinion, political behavior and the evaluation of information credibility.

Christopher D. Tulloch is Associate Professor of International Journalism and Global Communication at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona (UPF). He has a PhD in Journalism from the UPF as well as an M.A. in Japanese Studies from the Universities of Essex/Dokkyo and a B.A. in English and European Literature from York University. His main research interests are international journalism, foreign correspondents, global news flow, press and political transitions, climate change communication, media and peace studies, media ethics and international sports communication. He has published in major academic journals such as Media, Culture and Society, Journalism Studies, Digital Journalism, Journalism and Mass Communication Educator and Journal of Communication Inquiry among others. Director of the MA in International Political Journalism at the UPF (2010-2020) he is currently Visiting Professor at the University for Peace (United Nations) in Costa Rica and Learning Community Lead in International Journalism at the pan-European Eutopia University project.

Xavier Ramon is a lecturer in the Department of Communication of Pompeu Fabra University. He holds a PhD in communication from the UPF. Ramon’s primary interests include journalism ethics and media accountability, fact-checking, and sports communication. As a member of the Research Group on Political Communication, Journalism and Democracy (POLCOM-GRP), he has extended his participation in six competitive projects at Spanish and European level.

Dr Ramon serves as the Co-Chair of the Media, Communication & Sport (MCS) section of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and as Vice-Chair of the Communication and Sport Temporary Working Group of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA).

He has been a post-doctoral visiting researcher at the University of Stirling, the University of Seville and the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a pre-doctoral visiting researcher at the University of Glasgow, the University of Alabama, and the IOC Olympic Studies Centre.

Dr. Ruth Rodríguez-Martínez teaches Journalism since 2006 at the UPF Communication Faculty. She is the current deputy director of research of the Pompeu Fabra Communication Department. Her main lines of research are Media Accountability, fact-checking and disinformation. She has participated in seven national research projects funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, two of them as principal investigator, and participated in two projects funded by the European Commission.

In order to disseminate the results of her research activity, she has published articles in national and international indexed scientific journals (JCR and Scopus) and participated in numerous international conferences. She has carried out several predoctoral and postdoctoral stay: Missouri School of Journalism, USA (2008); Center National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS, Paris (2010); Columbia School of Journalism, Columbia University NYC (2013), funded by the AGAUR Grant; and at the RMIT FactLab (Melbourne, 2023). She is a member of the Catalan Press Council (CIC).

Roger Cuartielles is a predoctoral researcher in the Department of Communication at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). He holds degrees in Journalism (UPF, 2017) and Humanities (UPF, 2019), and also a Master’s degree in Communication Research (UPF, 2022), a Master’s degree in Journalism and Digital Communication: Data and New Narratives (UOC, 2022), and a Master’s degree in Teacher Training (UVic, 2021). His research lines focus on disinformation and the phenomenon of fact-checking linked to artificial intelligence, as well as crisis communication and political communication. He is currently a member of two competitive   projects led by the UPF in these fields: COMCRISIS and FACCTMedia. He is also a member of the Platform for Media Education in Catalonia of the Audiovisual Council of Catalonia (CAC), and he also collaborates with the platform against disinformation Learn to Check.

Göran Svensson holds a Ph.D. in Media and Communication studies from Department of Informatics and Media, Uppsala University, Sweden, with the thesis Understanding media criticism. Conceptual, empirical and theoretical studies of Swedish media criticism 1998-2013. He has published articles in Sociologisk forskning, Javnost-The public, Nordicom-Review, Media Culture & Society and Journal of Social Science Education. He was co-editor for the sociology textbook Sweden – everyday life and structure and contributes to the Swedish Handbook in journalism research, now in its third edition. He has contributed with articles to reports from IMS, Institutet för mediestudier, and published several academic book chapters. Together with Torbjörn von Krogh he wrote the chapter on Sweden in the Routledge Handbook of Global Media Accountability.