The Tim Hetherington Fellowship

The Tim Hetherington Fellowship is a partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, the Tim Hetherington Trust and Index on Censorship. It is a year-long position joining the editorial team at Index on Censorship.

The fellow works as the editorial assistant on the magazine and website, gaining valuable journalistic experience in a globally based organisation.

The annual fellowship, named after photojournalist, filmmaker and artist Tim Hetherington, includes the opportunity for the prize winner to report on national and international free expression issues in Index’s award-winning quarterly magazine and website. The fellow works closely with creative writers, artists and authors in countries where they experience censorship from governments, religious groups and others.

The Liverpool Screen School at Liverpool John Moores University hosts the journalism department, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses that allow students with varying levels of experience levels to learn and develop journalistic skills. The department has forged strong relationships with local and national media organisations, including the Liverpool Echo, FACT, the BBC and Channel 4.

Find out more about the journalism department here.

“We are delighted to have established such a close relationship with Index on Censorship over the years - particularly with regards to the Fellowship, as this involves us working with the Tim Hetherington Trust. Not only does the Fellow benefit from our partnership, but all our students learn first-hand about the invaluable contributions Index makes to global freedom of expression and, we believe, this inspires them as they set out on their own careers in journalism.”

Steve Harrison, senior lecturer in journalism.

Who was Tim Hetherington? 

Described as one of the 'brightest photojournalists of his generation', Tim Hetherington was a Birkenhead-born photojournalist, filmmaker and artist, known for his work capturing individuals experiences in war zones.

Hetherington’s assignments took him from the UK to Africa where he lived and worked, exploring the conflicts within the continent. He also studied US fighting forces for a year in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008, which led to the Oscar-nominated film Restrepo and Infidel photo book. 

Killed in 2011 by shrapnel while covering the Libyan civil war, his family created the Tim Hetherington Trust to preserve his legacy and continue his mission to create a better understanding of the world.