German-Dutch journalist exchange (JDN)
Flemish-Dutch journalist exchange (JBN)
Participants of the JDN and JBN journalist exchange programmes spend two months living and working in another country. They learn not just about a different journalistic culture but also about a different social and political system. The exchanges encourage participants to see each others’ countries in a new, positive light, leading to more nuanced reporting of each country. More than 220 German and Dutch journalists have taken part in the German-Dutch journalist exchange programme since 1993. In 2001 we launched a similar exchange programme between Dutch and Flemish journalists.
Aims of the exchange programmes in brief:
Raising standards
The exchanges give participants the opportunity to get to know each others’ countries, and their journalism, a bit better. They gain better factual knowledge of their host country, a wider perspective, and a considerable network of contacts, all of which are beneficial to their reporting of each others' countries and the quality of their journalism.
Building networks
One of the primary objectives is to encourage networking amongst participants. That is why the exchanges kick off with an introductory seminar, and participants reunite at the end of the exchanges too.
Better understanding
The exchanges improve mutual understanding and leave participants with a lasting interest in their host country. Their relationship with their host organisation often continues to be fruitful after the exchange has concluded. Reporters Chris Ostendorf (NOS) and Sabine Steur (ARD) swapped places for a couple of months: Interview Radio1.
Gaining inspiration
The exchange can be seen as a kind of revitalisation: participants carry on doing their job in another country but are inspired by new subject areas and by taking a different journalistic approach. They then take those inspiring new ideas back to their own country.
Organisation of the programme
Rob Meines, managing partner at Meines & Partners, spent more than 25 years working as a journalist with positions including political editor and German correspondent for the NRC Handelsblad newspaper. He acts as general secretary for the exchanges.
Thomas Boom manages and coordinates all activities relating to the journalist exchanges. He is responsible for the organisation of all programme components and is the participants’ first point of call.
More information: 
http://www.journalistenstipendium.nl