Program Title

Strategic Public Relations Management in the Chinese Society

Program Period

April 2008 to May 2009

Program Team

Coordinator:Dr. Flora Hung, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Studies, HKBU
Research Collaborator:Mr Alan VanderMolen, President of Asia Pacific, Edelman Public Relations

Program Objectives

The School of Communication in Hong Kong Baptist University has enjoyed high recognition in Hong Kong for its education in communication. Moreover, the public relations and advertising education in the School of Communication is widely considered the top niche in Hong Kong . However, some concerns have been raised among the industry and the academia about the future of the program of public relations and advertising. These concerns include:

－The lack of industry networks;
－Students lack the solid theoretical foundation in practicing public relations;
－Education on public relations has been too narrowly-focused without long-term vision and requires catching up with current and future trends of practices.

Thus, the program coordinator wishes to establish the objectives below in order to eliminate the existing concerns and improve the education and research of public relations for the School of Communication in HKBU.The objectives of this proposal aim to:

－Establish the School of Communication in HKBU as a vigorous research institute in public relations;
－Help educate more professional public relations practitioners in the Greater China society;
－Promote public relations as a strategic management function for corporations, government, and not-for-profit organizations in Greater China;
－Connect the School of Communication in HKBU with the industry and thus, enhance opportunities for more future collaboration.

Program Completion Report

By Dr. Flora Hung
May 24, 2010