Constructive Institute

In the midst of a time of increasing distrust, news anxiety and pressure on the media and democracy, the Constructive Institute is bringing together a team of journalists and editors for the 10th consecutive year to develop and strengthen journalism. Over the next 5 to 10 months, 12 newly appointed fellows will immerse themselves in constructive journalism, the challenges of democracy and the role of the media in society.

From Thursday 19th of March to Sunday 22nd of March, children can learn more about democracy and elections when the Constructive Institute format Election Festival opens its doors in Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands. The Democracy Festival is part of a broader initiative in which representatives from across the Nordic region aim to create meaningful encounters between children and democracy through workshops, performances, and concerts at the Nordic House in Tórshavn.

March 19, 2026 Photos by: Fernanda Pedroso for National Press Club of Australia Media organisations are being urged to move away from using outrage as a tool to attract clicks and instead concentrate on delivering information that genuinely serves the public, as they navigate a digital environment flooded with rapidly spreading misinformation.

With a grant totaling DKK 9 million over three years, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has decided to support the Constructive Institute’s Fellowship Program. The independent center for journalism, Constructive Institute, is based at Aarhus University and provides further education for journalists and editors with the aim of improving journalism for the benefit of democratic development in Denmark – and the rest of the world.

‘Dit Valg. Vores Danmark’ er et nationalt partnerskab mellem medier, almennyttige fonde, journalistuddannelser og private og offentlige institutioner, der skal engagere danskerne i kommunal- og regionalvalget 2025. Tal og data I Danmarkshistoriens hidtil største meningsundersøgelse bliver 400.000 danskere af Epinion spurgt om deres holdninger, prioriteringer, udfordringer, drømme og forventninger i alle landets kommuner og regioner.

Danish and Norwegian journalism students are often taught in the five news criteria known as VISAK. Væsentlighed (Significancy) Identifikation (Identification) Sensation Aktualitet (Topicality) Konflikt (Conflict) The journalists of tomorrow strive to change this approach. With the help of their students, associate professors at Oslo Metropolitan University, Karianne Steinsland and Anne Håskoll-Haugen plan to add “Constructive” to the list of news criteria.

A historic collaboration between media, charitable foundations, journalism schools, private and public institutions lends a helping hand to local democracy. A new national partnership has been launched to ensure that Danes are engaged and well-informed ahead of this autumn’s municipal and regional council elections — elections that are otherwise at risk of becoming the most poorly covered in living memory.

The Constructive Institute offers an annual fellowship program to around 10 media professionals to spend five or ten months at the Constructive Institute in Aarhus, Denmark. The fellows are expected to return to their newsrooms to share their insights with their colleagues and implement constructive reporting into their daily work. We are proud to present to you the talented constructive journalism fellows of 2025-2026.

Two international profiles join the Constructive Institute board to acclerate our ambitions to change the global news culture. The program officer at Global Media Partnership at Gates Foundation, Kenyan Dickens Onditi Olewe, and co-founder of the successful digital Danish media startup Zetland, International director Jakob Moll, are now part of the leadership of our NGO with the clear mission to help journalism rethink to help democracy.

Democratic Mobilization of the Next Generation is a three-year project aiming to engage 15.000 young people in democracy through workshops in journalism and the role of media in democracy. Are you a teacher at a Danish high school, boarding school or folk high school? Book a workshop in journalism, media and democracy. Fill out the contact formular here, then Project Lead Jesper Himmelstrup will contact you. Activities Click on the pictures to read more about our activities.