Dr Howard Barrell is coordinator of the MA International Journalism, in Cardiff school of journalism media and cultural studies. He worked full-time as both a writing and production journalist for some 24 years until 2002. He is a former editor of the Mail & Guardian, South Africa. He worked for periods on the Financial Times and The Guardian in the UK. He has written extensively for other news organisations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Australasia and elsewhere. He has worked mainly as a print journalism but also reported for radio and researched for television. His experience includes periods as a foreign correspondent, freelance journalist, and as a print and radio columnist.

IYJA started July 2005 with 16 members from Belgium, Egypt, Macedonia, Malaysia,Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Slovenia and Turkey.