A new joint-project from DW, RBB and Berlin Producers is proving just how small the world is. Worldwide Berlin is hoping to create a connection to the more than 80 different Berlins that exist around the globe. Along with a four-part documentary airing in January, viewers can already dive into more than 100 Berlins on an interactive world map – each more colorful and curious than the last. It turns the world into a village, effortlessly eating up kilometers, climates and time zones.

Worldwide Berlin is a global interactive web documentary in the making. It is also the most comprehensive collection of stories from over 100 places worldwide called Berlin. If you want to find out how such a global, grassroots project got started – just take a look at the “making of” segments on the blog.

DW Akademie and Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with the University of Istanbul are now offering young German or Turkish media professionals the chance for a world-class education in Istanbul. The International Media Studies (IMS) Turkish-German Master’s program was opened at the end of October during a DAAD conference in Istanbul. Creating the program took three years – from inspiration to accreditation.

Christian Gramsch, Director of DW Akademie, said the program aims to ensure that “independent and crucial journalism can fill its indispensible role in the development of our two countries.”  The director also emphasized the important role of the program as a positive force in Turkish-German relations.  The four-semester program is aimed at students with at least one year of work experience in a media-related field.  The language of instruction is English.

A DW web documentary was highly commended by the Association of International Broadcasting (AIB) at the media excellence awards ceremony in London.  Serengeti– Towards an uncertain future takes an up-close and interactive look at the unique natural beauty of this famous national park and addresses the tough challenges of conservation. The documentary was produced as a part of DW’s environmental series, Global Ideas, and was distinguished in the Factual Online Production category at the AIB awards. It premiered in August 2013 in English, German and Spanish and has already won several awards. The Frankfurt Zoological Society was also an integral production partner.

And there is a new interactive web documentary from DW’s Global Ideas. On Expedition is an interactive guide to everything researchers need to survive long journeys into exotic field locations.  The web doc follows the story of a WWF researcher in South America who encounters a very unexpected challenge during a research expedition.

Jaafar Abdul Karim, host of DW’s Shabab Talk, uses the program as a platform for sharing ideas and changing minds. A recurring theme on the show is women’s rights and Karim is the right person to shed light on the issue– he was recently named as an ambassador for UN Women.  He is also an active supporter of HeForShe, an international solidarity movement for gender equality that emphasizes the role of men in ensuring equal rights for women. In November Karim will be hosting an event in Bonn organized by HeForShe’s German branch.

Karim’s appointment as a UN Women ambassador also made waves in Arabic media.  “It signals that it isn’t yet exepected for men to stand up for equal rights,” he says. “There are a lot of men in Arabic countries who do not support equal rights between men and women and even some who think it is wrong.” He says that especially in Arabic countries, there is very little media coverage devoted to important social issues like equal rights for women.

Shabab Talk gives young people from the Arab World a place where they can share ideas and DW sets an international stage for Karim where important issues can be discussed and brought out of the dark.  “I think it is important that we at DW provide a voice for equal rights and a platform where everyone can discuss their lives,” he says.

DW Akademie is staying ahead of the learning curve and has designed a new trainee program that opens a door of opportunity  for a talented group of young and international media professionals. DW’s new international traineeship uses a multilingual and multimedia-oriented approach with televison, radio and online, providing graduates with the skills they need to succeed in today’s global media landscape.

Admission is competitive and if selected, you will be part of a distinctive learning community among international colleagues who will share your passion for media and world-class training in journalism. You will also be exposed to a broad spectrum of disciplines and professional backgrounds while expanding your horizons in a stimulating, internationally diverse atmosphere.

A traineeship with DW is also about being active and putting practice first. Trainees have the resources of Germany’s international broadcaster at their fingertips and will get the opportunity to work with DW’s editorial departments in Bonn and Berlin as well as internships abroad with DW’s foreign bureaus in Moscow, Brussels or Washington D.C.

This year 12 candidates will be accepted into the 18-month program. Think you have what it takes? Applications are now being accepted and the deadline is October 31. You can also put yourself to the test right now and try out the general knowledge quiz used for candidates in 2013.