The Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ) is a non-profit organisation based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The IAJ was established in 1992 with the goal of promoting excellence in journalism through training and skills development programmes.

The institute promotes and supports a free and independent media, the organisation provides a range of training courses, workshops, and seminars to journalists, media professionals, media organisations, corporate and educational sectors in South Africa and through out the African continent. The organisation also provides mentoring and coaching services to journalists and media organisations, and conducts research on issues related to journalism and media.

​The IAJ is a reputable brand with a strong board and well-seasoned facilitators in their field. During its 32 years of operation, the IAJ has built solid partnerships as well as trained over 10,000 media and communication professionals in SA and across the African continent. This work has involved the IAJ servicing the training needs of about 1,500 organisations and individuals.
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Known for our exceptional training and our longstanding passion for the media’s role in a democracy, we offer interactive, blended learning facilitated by subject matter experts. The IAJ strives to keep up with ever changing trends in the media to offer exclusive training across all media platforms.

The Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ) was founded by Allister Sparks in 1992. His mandate was to assist South African journalists meet the challenges of the transition to democracy and to support African journalists more broadly in upgrading their skills.

The IAJ is now an established communications and journalism training institute based in Parktown Johannesburg, South Africa. The institute promotes and supports a free and independent media in South Africa and the rest of Africa, through the training of communicators and journalists.