DW Akademie in Mongolia

DW Akademie has been active in Mongolia for more than ten years. Over the past few decades, the country has seen a dramatic increase in digital communication opportunities and its Internet connectivity is now among the highest in Asia.

However, this has also led to a sharp rise in propaganda and disinformation being spread via social platforms. Due to a lack of  Media and Information Literacy (MIL), citizens as well as journalists struggle to separate false news from facts.

Our activities

To address this challenge, DW Akademie is adapting MIL concepts and tools proven successful in other parts of the world for use in Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. This initiative includes creating a MIL online library of MIL materials for local partners and stakeholders.

Download our evaluation reports for Mongolia below.

Additionally, DW Akademie and its partners are developing a MIL learning app in multiple languages to reach citizens in rural areas of Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

DW Akademie is also fostering regional cooperation through networking conferences for MIL advocates, media viability experts and journalism educators. These events provide a platform for discussing new trends as well as challenges all stakeholders are facing. 

In terms of professional media, DW Akademie aims to connect journalism trainers and consultants from Mongolia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Asia. This network – part of our "Journalism of the Future (JoF)" program – focuses on media viability, user engagement, innovation and advocacy.  

Strengthening civil society organizations 

In "Voices for Change," a project funded by the European Union, DW Akademie is cooperating with the Media Council of Mongolia (MCM) to strengthen Mongolia’s civil society sector.  

More than 25,000 civil society organizations (CSOs) are registered in a country that has a mere 3.5 million inhabitants. Many of the CSOs are not fully functional and lack accountability. During this three-year project, civil society representatives define and implement quality standards for civic work. Mentorship programs foster cooperation between CSOs, state actors and media outlets. The aim is to make CSOs more resilient, better connected, powerful advocates for the people and strong agents for positive change.  

Funding: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), European Union (EU)

Program Director Journalism of the Future: Karin Schädler

Program Director Digital Resilience and Dialogue: Andrea Grigo

Locations: Ulaanbaatar and various regions of Mongolia

Local partners: Faro FoundationMongolian Education Alliance (MEA)NEST Center for Journalism Innovation and DevelopmentMedia Council of Mongolia (MCM)Youth Policy Watch

Focus: Media and Information Literacy (MIL), journalism education, civic participation