The Conversation Africa launched as a pilot project in May 2015. It is an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public.
Our team of professional editors work with university and research institute experts to unlock their knowledge for use by the wider public.
Access to independent, high quality, authenticated, explanatory journalism underpins a functioning democracy. Our aim is to promote better understanding of current affairs and complex issues. And hopefully allow for a better quality of public discourse and conversation.
We aim to help rebuild trust in journalism. All authors and editors sign up to our Editorial Charter. All contributors must abide by our Community Standards policy. We only allow authors to write on a subject on which they have proven expertise, which they must disclose alongside their article. Authors’ funding and potential conflicts of interest must also be disclosed. Failure to do so carries a risk of being banned from contributing to the site.
The Conversation launched in Australia in March 2011, the UK in May 2013 and the US in October 2014.
The Conversation started in Melbourne Victoria and the innovative technology platform and development team is based in the university and research precinct of Carlton.
We believe in open access and the free-flow of information. The Conversation is a free resource: free to read (we’ll never go behind a paywall), and free to share or republish under Creative Commons. All you need to do is follow our simple guidelines. We provide valuable media resources: free content, ideas and talent to follow up for press, web, radio or TV.
Special thanks to the organisations that have funded and supported the pilot. They are the National Research Foundation, the Knight Foundation, Barclays Africa and the International Centre for Journalists.
We are also very grateful to the University of the Witwatersrand for hosting our operations in Johannesburg and to the universities across the continent that have endorsed the project. Once established, The Conversation Africa will seek to launch hubs in East and West Africa.
Our team will work closely with the Australian, UK and US newsrooms, sharing content and ideas.
The Conversation Africa is a non-profit, public benefit organisation.