Disinfo Academy For HE Students

The project aimed to improve higher education offers in fact-checking and information verification by creating a free, open-enrollment online course targeted primarily at future journalists and ma...

The project aimed to improve higher education offers in fact-checking and information verification by creating a free, open-enrollment online course targeted primarily at future journalists and mass communication specialists, but also accessible to all HE students, practitioners, and adult learners. Our objectives were to: > Develop an improved fact-checking methodology that addresses existing criticism, incorporates technological tools, cognitive factors, and the construction of impactful narratives; > Provide immediate benefits to current journalists, fact-checkers, and adult learners through open-access resources; > Embed structured, beginner-to-advanced fact-checking education into the curricula of three HE institutions in BG, BA, and TR, with future expansion to RO and other countries; > Support media and information literacy, counter disinformation's negative effects on trust, political participation, and social cohesion; > Equip learners with critical skills valued by employers across industries and essential for personal resilience against information warfare. The course design emphasises contemporary, engaging content and project-based learning to maximise impact and practical application.