Vanguard correspondent, 27 others win UK MEET fellowship

A correspondent with Vanguard, Juliet Umeh, has been selected alongside 27 other journalists and content creators for the 2026 UK Media Excellence in Emerging Technologies, UK MEET, Fellowship.

The three-month programme, delivered by Imperial College London through Imperial Global Ghana, with support from the British High Commission in Accra and the UK Government in Nigeria, aims to strengthen science journalism and public understanding of emerging technologies.

The President of Imperial College London, Prof. Hugh Brady, announced the Ghanaian and Nigerian cohort in a LinkedIn post.

He said the programme would support fellows to improve their reporting on science, innovation and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, climate risk, biomedical innovation, the circular economy and electronic waste.

Brady said: “The UK MEET Fellowship is a programme for science journalists and content creators from Ghana and Nigeria to strengthen and inspire their reporting on science, innovation, and emerging technologies, focusing on wide-ranging topics from artificial intelligence and climate risk to biomedical innovation, the circular economy and e-waste.

“In a world of rapid technological change, misinformation and increasingly complex global challenges, our policymakers, leaders, and educators need accurate, accessible reporting that helps them understand what’s at stake, ask informed questions and make sound decisions,” he said.

Brady added that accessible science reporting could build public trust in research and connect scientific discoveries with the communities expected to benefit from them.

The Ghanaian fellows began their training in Accra, while the programme is scheduled to move to Abuja from October 18 to 24.

During the residential programme, fellows will meet researchers working in areas including AI, climate and health technology. They will also receive training on verifying technology claims, finding data and developing story pitches.

In an email informing Umeh of her selection, the organisers said the fellowship received more than 500 applications from journalists and content creators in Nigeria and Ghana. They said each eligible application was independently assessed by two reviewers.

The organisers said: “Your application stood out for its track record of reporting, a clear point of view, and a pitch with a question worth answering.”

Fellows will develop their pitches during the Abuja residential. Those who produce the strongest and most rigorous proposals will be considered for a UK Knowledge Exchange in London, where they would meet researchers and visit Imperial College London facilities.

The organisers said the London opportunity would allow selected fellows to “see the science behind the story first-hand.”