Dear all, With some experience of having been on both sides of the academia-industry divide, I share some of the views expressed by Ms. Uma Bhushan. Holding myself from falling into the rut of generalization, I agree that industry people tend to look down on people in the academia who drive PR/Corporate Communication programs in universities and colleges. But I have experienced that this condescending attitude is reciprocated in ample measures in the reverse direction too. And it is not always the behavioural trait of individuals that trigger this. I have seen seasoned academics in communication holding that professionals from PR, or from any communication industry for that matter, lack any depth and survive on gimmicks and superficial, glib talks, which is entirely misguided. While a lot of corporate communication practices are firmly rooted in age-old communicatin theories, assuming that academic scholars who don't want to see anything beyond the classics ( I mean the works of Wilber Schramms, McLuhans, McQuails, Hamelinks and Castells of the world, who I always look upon as eternal guiding lights) are better equipped to mould professionals for today's industry is, at best, a fallacy. Like any other discipline, communication too has matured through healthy, transactional co-existance of theory and practice. Theoreticians and practitioners should learn to respect each other without causing any damage to their multiple layers of delicate ego. While professionals spend time to introspect "on what is wrong with them that none wants to respct them", what would the academics do? Go on vacation and come back to see that 'mission introspection' of professionals has been well accomplished? I know of at least some communication professors who don't understand anything about journalism, advertising or PR. Introspection essentially has to take place on both sides. For every respected industry professional (it is a biased view that none respects them) who is seen giving short shrift to academia, I can find one, if not more, respectd academic who feels ill of indutry people. I am sure there will be more people like me who genuinely give respect to both theoreticians and practitioners. Forums like this, where we have quite a few knowledgeable people from both sides of the divide, should be able to take this debate in the right direction and possibly do something about it. Best regards, Sajan PK
--- On Wed, 6/25/08, Uma Bhushan <u_bhushan@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Uma Bhushan <u_bhushan@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [prpoint] Debate: Why many educational institutions do not involve industry professionals?
To: prpoint@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 12:30 PM
| Dear Mr Srinivasan, As an academician myself and on behalf of a few unfortunate co-ordinators of PR courses, I can tell you that most visiting faculty (as we call the Professionals who are called to give lectures) especially the PR people are very unreliable with their timings.They show scant respect to the academic process and ridicule the need for a session plan or course content. They pass on this to the students also who go out into the field thinking academic learning is a waste of time. They also cancel classes at the last minute and not honour their commitment. Barring a few honourable exceptions, professionals seem to think there is nothing to learn in a class room and that they have nothing to learn from academicians. Most of them do not want to sit down and think about what they want to teach and why. They are also very shoddy in giving assignments and the assessment. Their "life on the run" approach shows up in the way they run their courses and this is not how "academics" can be run with seriousness. Most professionals seem to want to teach just to be able to claim that they teach at this place or that. When it comes to commitment and learning the process of academics, they have no time. I have seen and heard PR professionals complain that they dont get respect from the corporates/clients. Now I also see they complain courses are run without their inputs. Maybe they should introspect on what is wrong with them that no one wants to respect them. we all know that respect is best earned not demanded. Best regards, Uma Bhushan
Uma Bhushan
Senior Lecturer, Business Communication
K J Somaiya Institute of Mangement Studies & Research
Vidyavihar, Mumbai 400 077
--- On Mon, 6/23/08, Bobby Shivyana <yanbab2002@yahoo. com> wrote:
From: Bobby Shivyana <yanbab2002@yahoo. com>
Subject: Re: [prpoint] Debate: Why many educational institutions do not involve industry professionals?
To: prpoint@yahoogroups .com
Date: Monday, June 23, 2008, 11:45 AM
Dear Mr Srinivasan, I am a faculty but still a student. I am also on the board of studies with two universities. I am presently associated with AP State Council of Higher Education in preparing syllabus for UG/PG courses of PR in AP Universities. You raised a good issue and asked both students and faculty to react. While agreeing with what has been said by Mr Surkund and Mr CJ Sing, I would like to share my understanding of the present day 'industry endorsed PR education'. In western systems of education, there are "major" subjects among minors to specialize at certain levels to keep pace with trends and requirements. To some extent, international/ corporate/private colleges in India whose business is to sell education in the guise of 'knowledge transfer' are able to offer such kind of courses. They can even fly-the-faculty from different parts of the Globe. But the fee is prohibitive. No ordinary student who aspires to prosecute such studies can afford to it. Of course, there are clients to such commodities. Indian Universities, on the other hand make efforts to update patterns of courses, structure of syllabi etc but by the time these things could take a shape, they become out-moded, yet relevant, because Indian system of education is wholesome at every level. For example, if PR is to be taught even at post graduate level, a bit of history, a potion of management, a dose of media, a bit of ethics, a measure of sociology are also taught to give an idea of closely related subjects as well as remotely related subjects. Because of this, India is able to produce both Generalists as well as Specialists in every field of knowledge. In terms of employability, those who possess the so called 'industry endorsed' PgCert or PgDip of 9 months or 12 months duration either in Journalism or Masscom or Public Relations are acceptable to industry to the extent of 95%. The simple reason behind this is 'what a candidate possesses is what Industry expects', a mere stylish communicative English and a few personal selling techniques. I strongly believe, we are mis-judging the Industry expectations. Here is a mis-match. "There is always a yawning gap between PR education and PR educators on one side and the Industry on the other", as observed by seniors in the profession, like Dr CVNR. This kind of a situation is not exclusive to India. As far as PR profession is concerned, the situation is similar even in advanced countries as seen from the recent reports of Global Alliance and of a Commission on PR Education in USA. When we talk about PR Educators and their stuff we have to be prudent. The permanent faculty in Universities and Colleges is insufficient. The right kind of visiting faculty is scarce. Can any PR practitioner, public or private, whose economic objective is different, spare an hour a week to teach? The remuneration offered by the conventional universities is almost nothing. Only those who are committed to teaching and committed to profession are doing it for decades and producing excellent PR managers. Teaching, Education, Instruction & Learning are different things. It appears as though 'devils reciting Vedas' if an unprofessional comments on a subject that can be taught only by professionals. We read lessons about the Emperor Ashoka in primary classes. We also read about the same Emperor at PG level as part of Ancient Indian History. Repetition is neither wrong nor boring. Course contents are not novels to impress or entertain somebody, but written to inform and educate the knowledge seekers. It all depends on how effectively it is taught and how interestingly it is learnt. "My Education began when my schooling ended", said a great scholar. The actual process of learning starts only after entering into the practical world. "Jnanam Samyaagavekshanam" , Wisdom lies in proper perspective! Regards, Y. Babji Hyderabad | |
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