The Salt Road

The International Academic Forum (IAFOR) was founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 2009 as a research organisation, conference organiser and publisher dedicated to encouraging interdisciplinary discussion, facilitating intercultural awareness and promoting international exchange, principally through educational interaction and academic research. By creating opportunities for dialogue between academics and thought leaders, IAFOR has become a pioneer in providing the research avenues and visionary development solutions that are necessary in our rapidly emerging globalised world.

This information exchange takes place through IAFOR’s academic events in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. IAFOR’s interdisciplinary conferences are diverse and inclusive network hubs, where academics come from all over the world to generate, share and nurture new knowledge and ideas. IAFOR makes much of the content generated freely available to the world through its Open Access publications and audiovisual media repositories.

University of the Arts London (UAL) is in the top 6 universities in the world for art and design. We offer an extensive range of courses in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. Our graduates go on to work in and shape creative industries worldwide.

The University draws together 6 renowned colleges, each with its own world-class reputation. Our state of the art facilities include workshops with letterpress machinery, studio theatres, gallery space as well as libraries and archives for research into hundreds of years of the greatest artists and designers.

UAL is a pioneering world leader in design and media education with internationally renowned BA and MA courses in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography. Its alumni have won numerous awards including the World Press Photo Daily Life Singles category and the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize.

The World Press Photo Foundation is a major force in developing and promoting the work of visual journalists, with a range of activities and initiatives that span the globe.

We were formed in 1955, when a group of Dutch photographers organized a contest to expose their work to international colleagues. That annual contest has since grown into one of the most prestigious awards in photojournalism and multimedia storytelling, and the exhibition it produces is seen by four million people worldwide each year.

We work to develop and promote quality visual journalism because people deserve to see their world and express themselves freely. Freedom of information, freedom of inquiry and freedom of speech are more important than ever, and quality visual journalism is essential for the accurate and independent reporting that makes these freedoms possible. Today, when the world, the press and photography itself are undergoing seismic changes, we strive to help both visual journalists and their audience understand and respond to these transformations so these freedoms can be secured.

MediaStorm is an award-winning film production and interactive design studio whose work gives voice and meaning to the most pressing issues of our time. Our stories demystify complex issues, humanize statistics, and inspire audiences to take action on issues that matter.

MediaStorm has led a paradigm shift in digital storytelling. Our in-depth reporting and original use of audio, video, and interactive graphics create compelling stories that get noticed. We have been widely recognized for our work–we have received 17 Emmy Award nominations and two Alfred Dupont Awards. Our films and immersive interactive design experiences connect with audiences, spread through social media, and are picked up by major media outlets, such as AP, NBC, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

As industry leaders, we are committed to preparing the next generation of journalists to harness the craft of digital storytelling. As such, we provide a range of training that teach storytellers how to engage and inspire viewers.