The conference took place on November 20th to 24th, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In addition to attending the plenary and networking sessions, four of the KAS participants contributed as speakers on different topics.
Christoph Plate, Director of the KAS Media Programme South East Europe, contributed to the panel Exploring Traditional and New Business Models. He emphasized that journalists today need to think economics as well. According to Plate, knowledge of how and why editorial and financial decisions are made is essential for navigating the financial realities and challenges of modern media.
Attila Biro from Romania spoke on the panel Journalistic Collaborations in Challenging Environments. He described some digital tools and methods used in cross-border investigations throughout the region. Biro highlighted that algorithmic manipulation is, at its core, a matter of mathematics – and that investigative journalists must develop the knowledge to understand it.
Saska Cvetkovska from North Macedonia contributed to the discussion Investigating Online Gambling, where she presented her investigations into money laundering schemes operating through gambling institutions in her home country. Her insights illustrated the complexity of investigating financial flows tied to online and offline gambling networks.
Laura Ranca, also from Romania, joined a panel on Balancing Risks During an Investigation. Through practical exercises, she demonstrated how investigative journalists can protect themselves while reporting in dangerous or unpredictable environments, stressing the importance of risk assessment and personal security skills.
The Global Investigative Journalism Conference provides platform for leading investigative journalists, media experts and innovators to exchange best practices and strengthen global reporting networks. This year, over 1500 participants attended the conference in Malaysia. The next edition will take place in the Netherlands in 2027.