“The Media Academy provided a powerful framework for reimagining solutions to global challenges, ranging from media innovation to equitable leadership. What stood out was the openness of exchange and the emphasis on collaboration, creativity, and inclusion. It was both a learning experience and a call to action. I left the session feeling not only inspired but also empowered to carry the momentum forward in my own work and community."
"The Salzburg Global Media Academy challenged and pushed me in various ways - academically, personally, politically. It showed me blind spots of my own perspectives, it taught me new concepts of how to think about the world and brought wonderful people to the place I call my home - Salzburg. ”
"I will never forget my time at Salzburg Global Media Academy. More than anything else, I am so glad I got to spend time surrounded by so many amazing people and making bonds that will last a lifetime."
"Salzburg Global Media Academy was nothing I'd ever experienced before. It was a culmination of cultures and countries, perspectives and opinions, that furthered my understanding of local media and the vitality of democracy. It was incredible to have conversations with people who have differing views than me, and to grow in every possible way."
"While it wasn't a walk in the park by any means, my experience at Salzburg Global Media Academy was beyond anything I could've imagined. I was challenged intellectually in ways that I haven't been in the past and I truly believe that I'll be going home a completely different person. I am incredibly grateful for the professional connections I made and more so for the peer-to-peer relationships made with my colleagues."
"The Media Academy challenged me in ways I've never experienced before. I am so thankful for the opportunity to work with such amazing people from around the world, to dream of solutions, to solve real problems that real people face. The lectures, group work, and adventures will never leave me as I continue working towards my goals."
"Have you ever felt that you are looking for answers in the wrong place? The Media Academy is the place to be when looking for existential answers, the place to be to feel heard and seen, the place to be to feel like you belong... This has been an experience of a lifetime. I feel like it provided me with so many tools that I was looking for, but didn't know where to find. It is an experience that expands your mind and makes you see the world so broadly with so many possibilities."
"Salzburg Global Seminar, and its programs, is without a doubt the most sophisticated and comprehensive place to open minds, challenge assumptions, and solve critical issues in the world. There are no similar programs that have an active agenda to engage scholars, practitioners, and policy makers in studying and seeking solutions to people's problems. Salzburg Global provides the best place, environment, and experts to examine and seek solutions for social, economic, political, international, and structural issues we face in the 21st century."
"Never in my life have I been in a place that strived as much, and, on many occasions, succeeded, as the Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change in fostering safe, free, inclusive, and diverse spaces for having conversations and discussions related to the most sensitive conflicts that are taking place around the world. This initiative is an effort that every person and organization that fights for peace and development should protect."
"The Salzburg Media Academy is a unique place where people from all over the world come to collaborate on an inspiring project. It's more than just a program- it's an entirely different experience. It's a place where respect, care, and deep conversations come together while sitting on a swing and gazing at the lake. This has been a life-changing experience for me, and the connections and goals I've made here are truly special. The Academy challenges you to question norms and think beyond what you believed was possible. It has been a privilege to be part of such an extraordinary community."
"The [Media] Academy is a transformative experience for all participants. Beyond the inclusivity and justice it values, it provides a safe space to ruminate and discuss important issues the world faces today. Through all this, the spirit of care and true investment in students’ learning and faculty collaboration is what makes the academy experience a unique one."
"Salzburg Media Academy brings together a diverse group of academics, thought leaders, innovators, and, most importantly, youth from across the globe. The program empowers these young leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue, embracing diverse viewpoints and work towards reconciling differences for the common good. By fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration, the program equips the next generation to tackle global challenges with empathy and shared purpose. It is an essential part of a transformative journey towards a more just, sustainable, and inclusive world."
"Getting to know people from all over the world is fascinating, [and] talking to them on an academic or professional level is even better. This was such an enriching experience on both personal and professional levels. I definitively recommend it… This is a wonderful opportunity for us to connect and envision future solutions to humanity’s challenges. Thank you so much. Please keep giving these opportunities to future generations."
“I had a great time at the Media Academy getting to interact with both other college students [from] around the U.S. who have different experiences and also people [from] outside the U.S. and in countries that we wouldn't necessarily always center around in the Eurocentric curriculum. I feel like I learned a lot.”
“The experiences in the [Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] are life-changing. I feel so privileged to be surrounded by amazing people and faculty members. Staying creative and present is one of the things that we were taught at [Salzburg Global] Seminar. Also, we were encouraged to acknowledge our environment, especially nature, and to take responsibility for our future and what it should look like.”
“When you first enter the gates of the Schloss, you think that the most magical part is going to be living on the grounds, but it's actually the people that you get to meet and spend your time with. It was absolutely transformational because of all the people and their stories and their cultures and their languages and their countries… They were the best part of my experience, and I'm going to continue to love them all, even past these two weeks.”
“Joining the [Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] was undeniably one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was truly incredible to meet friends from around the globe and participate in a wide range of active and valuable workshops… I eagerly look forward to applying the insights and skills gained from this experience in my further studies and future career pursuits.”
“Building up to this experience, I began to ask myself why a white, upper-class, heterosexual male from the most notorious colonizer in the world had been selected for a global program based around inclusivity. Asking this same question today in our seminars and as a result of the experiences from the last two weeks, I realize that we all need an equal say in the change we want to occur, even those who have dictated the choices of others for so long. Through listening to the stories of so many passionate and talented individuals, some old, some young, my grasp of change and the diverse ways we can enact it has been liberated. Thank you SGS!”
“As I look ahead to my future as a social worker, I am confident that this experience will serve me well. The skills and insights I have gained here will allow me to approach my work with a greater degree of sensitivity and understanding, to more effectively advocate for those in need, and to work collaboratively with others to create positive change in our communities… This is my first time to join an international conference that consists of people from all around the world. This is a valuable opportunity for me to connect and to learn from people in different cultures. I find it most impressive that when I work in the group project, I have to adjust my communication style, my thinking, my mentality, and my way of working. I have to be more outgoing [and] expressive when I work with people from Western countries. I'm learning to be more culturally sensitive and to make myself more flexible when I collaborate with others.”
“[Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] is a transformative and unforgettable experience. I can say that I came to Salzburg [as] one person and I left as another. Every person I had the chance to meet taught me something, and every place I went showed me how wonderful the world is. This academic and international program made me challenge myself and face different situations that I now call opportunities. This life-changing experience was the best opportunity I have ever had, which I will always keep in my memory.”
“My experience was very pivotal for my professional and personal life. I learned a lot about being around other cultures, being around other people, and embracing all of that. I'm going to take these ideas and things that I've learned here into the real world and implement them.”
“The friendships that are made here have been absolutely transformative. People who touched my heart and changed me as a person for the better… To be surrounded by people who are so incredibly intelligent, talented, and creative helps you learn a lot more about yourself, what you represent, and [what] to improve on.”
“I think [the Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] was a great opportunity to come to a different country to meet so many people from all around the world. I'm really happy that I made many good friends. I hope that I'm going to meet with them after the Academy. The experience was great. I really enjoyed all the lectures and learning about other cultures and media around the world.”
"My experience here [at the Media Academy] has been not only something I didn't expect but [it] transformed my life. I almost felt like I had impersonation syndrome when I first came here with these brilliant minds all around me. Then I realized that I was chosen for a reason. It really stuck with me that being around like-minded people who have the same goals and ambitions just really makes you feel happy about your life and that you're not alone in things and that you really can change the world around you. These last two weeks have been unbelievable, beautiful, amazing, inspiring, [and] transformative. Making lifelong friends that I'm going to be visiting next year is something I never thought would happen to me, but it did. And I'm so thankful for the opportunity of being here.”
“The people [at the Academy] are my people. I think that's the most important thing- these are my people. It's my opportunity once a year or once every few years to see the people I truly love and actually do the work across all fields. And it's amazing to have it all in one place. So it's not just about having these presentations, it's about the conversations that take place outside, at coffee, [and] at dinner. If you don't have this opportunity, this immersive experience, then you wouldn't have the opportunity to hear the thoughts that don't just happen in published work or online spaces.”
“The [Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] is an experience that has given me the opportunity to indulge in open-minded conversations about politics, media, economy, education and culture. Overall, it has altered my entire perspective and awareness on people and the world.”
“I'm really glad to be part of the team here because it's my first time joining an international program. Previously I was in a program just in [the] Asian context, but not internationally. I'm super grateful to have all the people and all the talents here because they're from different places [and] different academic fields. We have innovative ideas flowing around and during every discussion and lecture, everyone is so involved asking questions and just throwing out ideas… In general, I really love the experience here because everyone is super great. I learned a lot from the program, for example, like building lifelong relationships…it's definitely a first step for me to take a step further and understand what I value and what people value [in] me.”
"[Salzburg Global] Seminar provides us with a space, both physical and metaphorical, to explore and to experiment and to develop our ideas and to collaborate and to challenge each other and to think in ways that we don't have space and time [for] in our daily lives. So for me and for many of my colleagues, it's the highlight of our year because it's the one time when we're able to do this kind of collaborative, imaginative work that we can't do elsewhere. It's really a haven for the mind.”
“[Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] has people who can discuss productively. That is a really amazing thing because in my country, in Japan, people are not good at speaking their opinions or sharing their mindset and it is not that expressive. But here, [there are] many Americans speaking out and many Lebanese speaking out and many South Americans speaking out... I decided to join this program to [learn] how media works globally. The best thing about the Media Academy is the interaction of diverse people. I get to learn from the opinions of people from other cultures and different generations. It was a pretty memorable experience to lead the workshop about advertising ethics.”
“I was grateful to have attended this year's [Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change]. Being a part of a group where people from various backgrounds came together to discuss important world issues and work on practical change projects, testing different skills and, most importantly, the ability to listen and imagine, was a complex and important task. These gatherings' outcomes help me maintain hope by showing the importance of contributing time and energy to various social justice and human rights projects. It is challenging to find an experience like this in everyday life, and because of this, the Seminar has unique value.”
“My favorite part of the [Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change] has been the people here. Everybody here has their own little universe inside of them. It's been amazing to be in a room where the whole purpose is to learn from each other. I’ve learned a lot of lessons over the last two weeks, especially through the relationships that I've made with the people. I think I came with the intention of being the most raw version of myself and it was scary, but it ended up validating me personally as an artist...”
"[The session during the Media Academy with Professor Chris Harris] strongly resonated with my inner self because I too feel that there’s a lot that needs to be done and we need individuals who are working towards the collective greater good and this session was just perfect in time for me to learn how to build and nurture such a philosophy/practice/place. When I had the chance to have a word with Chris and shared about a few initiatives I took up on campus, he helped me realize that I was already on the path of creating a ‘fugitive space’. He guided me on what steps I should take to sustain it and [consider how] we communicate with the ones we might not meet, be it at university or as a generation [and] what creative methods we can come up with to pass on coded messages or knowledge.”
“My experience here has taught me about our society but it has also taught me so much about myself and how much I’ve grown and how much I’m worth. I’ve met so many amazing people and can’t wait to keep in touch with them and learn more about their cultures as well!”
“Throughout my time at the [Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change], I learned so much from the incredible people I was surrounded by. Every moment of the program was worth it, and it made me push myself out of my comfort zone. I can’t thank everyone enough for sharing their wisdom and kind words throughout these past few weeks.”
"The Salzburg Academy [on Media & Global Change] is a blend of all things intercultural and interdisciplinary. You do have people coming from very diverse parts of the world, and when you come here you get really overwhelmed by the beauty and the privileges that this place has to offer. But I think time [and time] again, through the many lectures and through many seminars and workshops, you realize that you are taught to place these privileges within the global context and acknowledge your own sort of subjective position and critique the way of the world. But they also teach you to not be entirely hopeless for what's yet to come. I think that's been a takeaway of mine from [the Media Academy].”
“It has been a delightful privilege to share space with some of the most wonderful minds and spirits around the world. Salzburg fosters a container of curiosity, uplift, learning, and care that I have yet to encounter elsewhere.”
“I absolutely loved this experience. I feel so transformed through the creative energy that is inspiring at all times, all around us. In addition, with the beautiful landscape and all the beautiful people and the beautiful ideas from all over the world, I truly feel like the luckiest person to be able to experience this. One of my favorite memories was the excursion to the Alps… It was the most blue and beautiful lake I've ever been to, and it just felt like such a transformative experience. I felt like I was really changing for the better and that really happened and conspired with all of the lectures that I got to experience… I truly had never been so inspired in my entire life, and I'm excited to take all these lessons that I've learned and apply them to my life. I cannot be happier with this experience.”
"[The Media Academy] was very incredible… we went through a whole rollercoaster of emotions and work. I loved it because now we're standing here in front of the Schloss, in front of a beautiful city and beautiful mountains, and we look back to two weeks full of work, full of making new friends and finding people with great personalities.”
“For the past 16 days, I've experienced so many new things. I learned, I dreamt, I cried, [and] I felt with other people from so many countries. It's an unforgettable experience.”
“My experience at the Media Academy was transformative. I had a great time meeting people from all over the world and learning deeply about their backgrounds and specifically what makes them, them. Although our work was at times intensive and challenging, it was worth the hard work. I am truly blessed.”
“I have brought students here for three years because the Salzburg Academy [on Media & Global Change] teaches things and delves into subjects that we don't cover during the year. It's a wonderful opportunity for students to kind of disengage from the traditional classroom routine and to think in big ways about media issues, journalism issues, [and] communication issues that go far beyond what a traditional curriculum covers. I find that it's inspiring to students. It's relaxing and engaging, and they come away with an unforgettable experience intellectually, spiritually, and in a way that engages a foreign country that they may not have otherwise known.”
“[My highlight] was Chris [Harris]'s workshop on fugitivity. I think it definitely reshaped how I consider activism, events and academia as activism. The experience is unforgettable and I absolutely would do it again.”
“I wanted to use [the Academy] as a way to understand media more, considering the field I'm going into and just to gain a better understanding overall, and it's really been fantastic. I've been able to meet so many people that offer different perspectives and different cultures and I've been able to learn from them, and it's helped me learn about myself, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else.”
