The purpose of the Fellowship is to contribute to the professional development of aspiring journalists in the countries of the EU’s Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans in support of media freedom and independence. Fellows will be selected on a competitive basis from Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans countries and placed with a local RFE/RL bureau. They will be integrated into the daily work of the bureau, where they will work on a full-time basis to produce content across all journalistic platforms and participate in editorial discussions under the supervision and mentoring of professional RFE/RL colleagues. As a result of the program, Fellows are expected to strengthen their journalistic skills and knowledge, develop their editorial judgment, expand their professional networks, and deepen their understanding of the role of an independent press in their country. English-language proficiency is not required. Journalists from Ukraine are eligible to apply.