Constructive Institute Asia Pacific Hub launches new fellowship program in Melbourne, Australia
March 17, 2026
Interest in constructive journalism is growing across the international media landscape. This week, a number of Australian media organisations and the country’s Minister for Communications have invited Ulrik Haagerup, CEO of the Constructive Institute, to Australia to discuss journalism’s role in a time of rising polarisation and declining trust in democratic institutions.
During week 12, Haagerup is participating in a series of meetings, talks and masterclasses with leading Australian media organisations, including The Age, Herald Sun, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Nine Entertainment, Special Broadcasting Service, National Indigenous Television and News Corp Australia across Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.
On Wednesday, 18 March, he will also meet with Australia’s Minister for Communications, Annika Wells.
Address at the National Press Club
The visit will culminate with a keynote address at the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on 18 March. In his talk, “Is Journalism Part of the Problem for Democracy? – And How Do We Become Part of the Solution?”, Haagerup will explore how journalism may at times have contributed to rising division, but also how it can play a crucial role in rebuilding trust and strengthening democratic dialogue.
“Research shows that constructive journalism works. Readers engage more, share stories more often, and trust media that also provide constructive reporting. The old rule of ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ is no longer enough. The world needs trusted journalism more than ever,” says Haagerup.
New fellowship in the Asia-Pacific region
The visit also coincides with the launch of a new journalism fellowship run by the Constructive Institute’s sister initiative, the Asia Pacific Hub at Monash University in Melbourne.
The fellowship brings together journalists from across Australia, Asia and the Pacific to explore new approaches to strengthening trust, public dialogue and solutions-focused reporting.
According to the director of the Asia Pacific Hub, Professor Kate Torney, the initiative comes at a crucial moment for journalism.
“Journalism is facing profound challenges – but also important opportunities. The selected fellows have all demonstrated a strong commitment to solutions-focused reporting and to strengthening constructive principles in their work. This programme will give them the space to rethink what journalism can be and how it can help counter division and rebuild trust,” she says.
A total of 19 fellows have been selected from 75 applicants from across Australia, Asia and the Pacific. They will meet in Melbourne in April and again in September to work on new journalistic approaches aimed at strengthening public trust in news media.
