Friday, 9 October 2015

Public Relations 24/7 TODAY! A Welcome Note

We are living in an era of technological revolution; an era in which information travels quickly and reaches large audiences; an era in which individuals act as reporters since they are able to transfer and post information 24/7. The fact is that the way people get informed is constantly changing while social and new media impact the shaping of public opinion. New technologies, blogging and social media turned the word of mouth into a powerful tool. Public Relations is changing. It is definitely much more than writing and sending press releases and cultivating good relations with the Press. The PR executive needs specialized knowledge, market awareness, and digital familiarity.  Moreover, they need to understand that public relations is not just a set of processes and procedures but also a field where practitioners, besides creating and diffusing content, they should hold a strategic position in the company's decision making processes. 

I have been studying, teaching and practicing public relations and marketing for more than two decades. During this long period of time I have seen the transformation of Public Relations from a set of processes - not as a continuum in some cases - to the development of unique and creative content.

Regarding the module of Public Relations Strategies now, even though the unit was considered among the favorites in the student body, I have decided to make drastic changes. As a result, tis whole process generated a totally different and restructured module; different in lecturing style, in the content, and most of all in the strategic approach given to it.  It ensures more elaboration on the particular subject as well as more critical analysis of various concepts and most of all, more application through a sequence of workshops.  Students using a 60-page workbook, become an active part of the learning process; thus for every theory we discuss, a workshop or a case study has been designed.   
 
 

The primary aim of the unit is to enhance student's employability skills. The unit is designed in such a way that provides students the opportunity to understand and apply the theoretical framework and at the same time develop skills such as:
  • written and oral communication,
  • working in teams,
  • cultural agility,
  • creativity,
  • time management,
  • work ethics,
  • organization and planning,
  • research skills,
  • decision making,
  • critical and analytical thinking.

I hope you will enjoy this learning approach and by the completion of the module you will be able to understand the significance of Public Relations and realize the interesting times we live and work in.  With the skills and knowledge you will acquire you will be able to successfully direct the communication strategy of the company you will be working for.

Welcome aboard!
 

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