Today more than 60 institutions, including Govt Universities, Private Universities, Private Collages, are providing PR education, mainly One-year diploma course and two years Post-Graduation and producing 700-1000 PR professionals.
Question raised by Mr. K. Sriniwasan (our Moderator) , i.e., why many of the PR faculty members do not show interest in updating their knowledge or networking with industry? Is very important and genuine for betterment of PR world and developing it best in the industry.
I think, to solve this problem, PR institutions must adopt "Industry Linkage Model ". More and more Interaction program should be organized. We all of us know that, Public Relation is a management function that involves monitoring and evaluating public attitudes and maintaining mutual relations and understanding between an organization and its public. So, an Involvement of PR student, Faculties and PR Professional, is key therapy to overcome this problem.
Basic reason for not showing interest in updating their knowledge or networking with industries is that, many faculties think that PR professionals, who have associated with industries, are encroaching in their area.
I am In Public Relations field for last 3-4 years. I was never invited for attending or interacting with PR students. Yet, I do know the HOD of Public Relations/Corporate communications, of the institute.
Govt Universities, Private Universities, Private Collages, those are providing PR education, have no proper calendar for their Student to interact with PR Professionals. Industrial visit of PR students can solve this problem. "PR knowledge Industrial Tour" should be started and it would be included in their circular activates with priority basis. This would be win-win situation for both institutions and industry. When PR Professional is successful, then PR educations provider institutions will grow and develop. Definitely, Industry will welcome to qualified and knowledgeable student.
Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.
Raigarh Chhattisgarh
98274 77507
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Dear freinds
Presently, many institutions are providing UG / PG programmes on Public Relations throughout the country. . Advertisement and Journalism are traditional subjects for a long time and the faculty members are sufficiently equipped to handle these subjects. But PR courses are being introduced in the past 5 to 6 years in many institutions.
When I interact with the students of such PR courses, I find that PR classes are being handled by totally unconnected people or by the people who have studied PR in their text books. They read the chapters in the class rooms as available in some traditional text books. Even in big centres, where practising professionals are available, the colleges are hesitant to involve them even for interaction.
A student of a city college remarked to me, " the faculty members are afraid that their incompetency and ignorance of PR will be exposed if the professionals come for interaction". Whether there is a truth in it or not, this is the perception, the students are carrying silently because of the attitude of these colleges.
One of the Colleges started a MA (PR) Course few years back. They had included my name and few other senior professionals name in their brochure / website as if we are taking sessions. Though, four or five batches have completed their course, till date none of us were invited to interact with students even for one hour. I came to know about the inclusion of my name after 18 months (!), when a student approached me for some help.
Three years back, another college included me in their Advisory panel for developing their MA (PR) course. Three months before the start of the course, there was a meeting for one hour (!) to finalise the course syllabus, which they had prepared. The purpose of the meeting was to crreate a record that professionals were involved in developing the syllabus and to get approval from University/UGC. We received the invitation for the inaguration of the course. Till date neither myself or any other professional had any interaction session with the students.
With personal contacts, some students get internship with some of the PR Agencies / Corpcom and enter the PR profession. I also observe none of these colleges / Departments handling PR courses have any knowledge of the PR Companies or Corporate Communicators. They also do not have contact with professional bodies.
I have personally found that many of the faculty members handling PR subjects do not even show interest in joining the discussion groups like this for updating their knowledge and to network with industry professionals.
Some well known institutions like Symbiosis, Pune take interest in involving the practising professionals and seeking their advise. I am associated with Symbiosis in their Board of Studies. They invite the members for serious discussion. Many practising professionals also are invited to interact with the students. That helps the students to develop contact with the industry. May be very few institutions involve the industry professionals for the benefit of students.
Why many of the educational institutions running PR courses shy away from involving the practising professionals? Does it reflect their lack of confidence? Why many of the PR faculty members do not show interest in updating their knowledge or networking with industry?
May I requet members to suggest ways as to how we can bring academia and industry together. I invite students, and young professionals who have completed their PG/ UG courses, Faculty members also to share their views.
srinivasan
Moderator
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Rusen Kumar
Public Relations
Jindal Steel & Power Ltd
Raigarh Chhattisgarh
98274 77507
rusenkumar@gmail.
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