What Kinds of Events Does the FCA Organise?

Updated

The Foreign Correspondents' Association Australia & South Pacific (FCA) organises a mix of briefings, site visits, anniversary receptions, and exhibitions, according to the events listed on its website. These activities are aimed primarily at FCA members — journalists and correspondents working in or covering Australia and the South Pacific — though some public-facing items, such as exhibitions, may reach a wider audience. The specific dates, venues, and participation details change over time, so the site's events section is the place to confirm what is currently scheduled.

Event formats shown on the FCA website

The site's event listings point to several recurring formats:

  • Briefings — for example, an "FCA Briefing" listed for 15 September 2026. These are sessions where members hear from speakers on a set topic.
  • Trips and site visits — for example, an "FCA Trip to Newcastle" listed for 18 September 2026, and a member visit to the Nanoscience Hub at the University of Sydney (reported by Raj Suri and Marie Geissler).
  • Anniversary receptions — the "FCA 40 Years Anniversary Reception" appears in the 2025 listings, marking the association's founding in 1985.
  • Exhibitions — an "FCA 40 Years Exhibition" is also listed, alongside a Canberra event titled "Shaping Australia's Image in the World."

What the events cover

The topics visible in the listings are broad rather than limited to newsroom practice:

Area Example from the site
Science and research Nanoscience Hub visit, University of Sydney
Regional reporting and travel Trip to Newcastle
Diplomacy and national image "Shaping Australia's Image in the World," Canberra
Institutional milestones 40 Years Anniversary Reception and Exhibition

This spread suggests the programme is designed to give correspondents background across science, regional affairs, diplomacy, and culture — useful context for reporting beyond day-to-day news.

Who the events are for

The listings are framed around FCA members: the Nanoscience Hub item describes "members of the Foreign Correspondents' Association (FCA)" gathering for the visit, and the anniversary reception is an association milestone event. Exhibitions and some public-facing events may be open more widely, but the site does not state general admission terms for every item. If you are not a member and want to attend, treat membership status and access as something to check rather than assume.

How to confirm details

Dates on the site are listed well ahead — the September 2026 briefing and Newcastle trip appear under "Coming up" — but schedules can shift. Before planning around any event, check the FCA website's events section for the current listing, and look for any note on registration, capacity, or whether non-members may attend. The site also carries "Earlier Posts," which is useful for seeing the pattern of past events if you want a sense of how often the FCA runs them.