FMK UCM develops international cooperation in media hoax research in Finland

Academic staff from FMK UCM in Trnava participated in a working meeting with Professor Mikko Leitinen at the University of Joensuu (UEF) in Finland. The trip was attended by Associate Professor Lukasz Pawel Wojciechowski, Professor Slavomír Gálik, Professor Lucia Spálová, and Master Michal Radošinský.

The aim of the working meeting was to discuss the APVV-23-0612 project Creativity as a source of prophylaxis against media hoaxes, led by the principal investigator, Professor Katarína Fichnová from the Faculty of Arts at UKF in Nitra.

Our faculty has been cooperating with Professor Katarína Fichnová for a long time – she is a member of the FMK Departmental Committee for Doctoral Studies and the Scientific Council of FMK UCM in Trnava. She also frequently participates in the defense of dissertations at our faculty. "Her scientific experience is invaluable for the development of the faculty," said Professor Gálik.

Big data research

"Professor Mikko Leitinen and his team specialize in big data research on social media, which could also help our media research in Slovakia," explained Professor Gálik. "His knowledge and experience would also be very beneficial in the CREATHOX project. Joint discussions and presentations of current research activities related to our project were held at the University of Joensuu," he added.

The working meetings also included an exchange of experiences with building resilience and supporting resistance to information disruptions, including disinformation, conspiracy theories, and manipulated content. Best practices and methodological frameworks focusing on modern techniques and current research approaches in the field of disinformation were also presented.

"The working meeting brought many new contacts and further promising cooperation, for example with the Department of Communication at UEF, which will open next academic year," Professor Gálik added.

Source of cover photo: Slavomír Gálik